Prostaglandins prostanoids

The enzyme system responsible for the biosynthesis of PGs is widely distributed in mammalian tissues and has been extensively studied (2). It is referred to as prostaglandin H synthase (PGHS) and exhibits both cyclooxygenase and peroxidase activity. In addition to the classical PGs two other prostanoid products, thromboxane [57576-52-0] (TxA ) (3) and prostacyclin [35121 -78-9] (PGI2) (4) are also derived from the action of the enzyme system on arachidonic acid (Fig. 1). 

Detailed accounts of the biosynthesis of the prostanoids have been pubUshed (14—17). Under normal circumstances arachidonic acid (AA) is the most abundant C-20 fatty acid m vivo (18—21) which accounts for the predominance of the prostanoids containing two double bonds eg, PGE2 (see Fig. 1). Prostanoids of the one and three series are biosynthesized from dihomo-S-linolenic and eicosapentaenoic acids, respectively. Concentrations ia human tissue of the one-series precursor, dihomo-S-linolenic acid, are about one-fourth those of AA (22) and the presence of PGE has been noted ia a variety of tissues (23). The biosynthesis of the two-series prostaglandins from AA is shown ia Eigure 1. These reactions make up a portion of what is known as the arachidonic acid cascade. Other Hpid products of the cascade iaclude the leukotrienes, lipoxins, and the hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HETEs). Collectively, these substances are termed eicosanoids. 

The necessity for producing large amounts of synthetic prostaglandins and analogs provided the impetus for a number of improvements in the bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene approach. Especially important was the development of an enantioselective modification for the synthesis of chiral prostanoids without resolution (1975) and the invention of a chiral catalyst for the stereocontrolled conversion of 15-keto prostanoids to either 15(5)- or 15(7 )- alcohols. 

Drugs of particularly complex structure are often prepared commercially by partial synthesis from some abundant, structurally related, natural product obtained from plants. The majority i)f steroid drugs are in fact prepared in just this way. Prostaglandins are unique in that no prostanoid compounds have yet been found in plants, a perhaps surprising finding in view of the wide distribution of essential fatty acids in plant materials. 

Prostaglandins 624, 725, 960 Prostanoids 620 Protonation 565-567, 1049 photochemical 882 Pseudopotential methods 15, 16 Pummerer rearrangement 240, 243, 470, 843 Pyramidal inversion 602, 604 Pyrazolenines 749 Pyridazine oxides 640 Pyridine aldehydes, synthesis of 310 Pyridine oxides 640 Pyrolysis 102-105 of sulphones 110, 679-682, 962 of sulphoxides 739, 740 Pyrroles 265, 744... 

Eicosanoids These compounds, derived from eicosa- (20-carbon) polyenoic fatty acids, comprise the prostanoids, leukotrienes (LTs), and lipoxins (LXs). Prostanoids include prostaglandins (PGs), prostacyclins (PGIs), and thromboxanes (TXs). 

Free radicals are by-products of prostaglandin metabolism and may even regulate the activity of the arachidonate pathway. Arachidonic acid, released from lipids as a result of activation of phospholipases by tissue injury or by hormones, may be metabolized by the prostaglandin or leu-kotriene pathways. The peroxidase-catalysed conversion of prostaglandin G2 to prostaglandin H2 (unstable prostanoids) and the mechanism of hydroperoxy fatty acid to the hydroxy fatty acid conversion both yield oxygen radicals, which can be detected by e.s.r. (Rice-Evans et al., 1991). 

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