Structure prostaglandin metabolites

Still later, a number of in vivo studies were carried out in many species, which led to the identification of a large number of final degradation products excreted into urine (e.g. the rat, 260-265 guinea pig, 266-268 rabbit, 269 monkey, 270, 271 and man, 272-278) (cf. also Fig. 8). The structures of major circulating prostaglandin metabolites were also identified [272,278,279-281]. 

Leukotrienes are metabolites of arachidonic acid related to prostaglandins and thromboxanes. They are made in nature (and often in the laboratory) by oxidation of alkenes. The letter (e.g. A) gives the general structure and the subscript number the number of alkenes. They are unstable and control localized physiological phenomena such as blood clotting and inflammation. 

The discovery of the prostaglandin endoperoxides and thromboxane Aj, compounds with pronounced biological activity but short half-life under physiological conditions, initiated a search for stable synthetic compounds that mimic the actions of the labile arachidonate metabolites. Several of these synthetic compounds are structural analogues to PGH2. 

The jasmonoids are secondary metabolites of the fatty acid metabolism. Jasmonates play a role in signal transduction in plants, similar to that of the structurally related prostaglandins in mammals. 

Svensson J Structure and quantitative determination of the major urinary metabolite of thromboxane B2 in the guinea pig. Prostaglandins 17 351-365, 1979. 

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