What Are Prostaglandins

The prostaglandins are a family of compounds having in common the 20-carbon skeleton of prostanoic acid  

The story of the discovery and structure determination of these remarkable compounds began in 1930 when gynecologists Raphael Kurzrock and Charles Lieb reported that human seminal fluid stimulates the contraction of isolated uterine muscle. A few years later, Ulf von Euler in Sweden confirmed this report and noted that, when injected into the bloodstream, human seminal fluid also stimulates the contraction of intestinal smooth muscle and lowers the blood pressure. Von Euler proposed the name prostaglandin for the mysterious substance(s) responsible for these diverse effects, because it was believed at the time that they were synthesized in the prostate gland. Although we now know that prostaglandin production is by no means limited to the prostate gland, the name has stuck. 

Key intermediates in the conversion of arachidonic acid to PGE2 and PGp2 . PG stands for prostaglandin.The letters E, F, G, and H are different types of prostaglandins. 

A comparison of these two prostaglandins illustrates how a simple change in the structure of a drug can make a significant change in its effectiveness. 

The PGEs, along with several other PGs, suppress gastric ulceration and appear to heal gastric ulcers. The PGEi analog, misoprostol, is currently used primarily to prevent ulceration associated with aspirin-like NSAIDs  

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