BIOCHEM LEC: PHARMACEUTICAL MOD SEM

BIOCHEMISTRY 2 1
MODULE 2: INTRODUCTION TO LIPIDS
• long chain (13-21), medium chain (6-12), short chain (2-
LIPIDS 6)
• organic compound • rarely found in nature
• characterized based on solubility • degree of unsaturation: saturated, monounsaturated,
• insoluble in polar solvent (water,acetone,ethanol) polyunsaturated
• soluble in non polar solvent (ether, choloroform) • they are amphipathic
• esters of glycerol + fatty acids • they contain hydrophilic and hydrophobic elements in
the structure
• not a biopolymer
• hydrophobic (water hating)
• fatty acid (building blocks of lipids)

STRUCTURAL FORMULAS
FAT

SATURATED FATTY ACIDS

BIOLOGICAL WAX • a fatty acid with a carbon chain in which all carbon–
carbon bonds are single bonds
• general formula: CnH2nO2

STEROID

• “saturated” with h+ atoms

• only single bonds are present
• packs well, mostly solid at room temperature
GLYCEROPHOSPHOLIPID

SPHNGOPHOSPHOLIPID

myristic acid lauric acid

(tetradecanoic acid) (dodecanoic acid)
SPHINGOGLYCOLIPID

FATTY ACIDS
• naturally occurring monocarboxylic acid
• even number of carbon atoms and have a carbon chain
that is unbranched

GIANNA ALEXIS LINGAD 1

 UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS → 18:3 (𝝙9,12,15) =
• presence of double bonds within the carbon chain

NOTE:
→ 1st picture: hydrogen atoms are on the same side
→ 2nd picture: hydrogen atoms are on opposite sides

• trans-fats are more likely to be solid due to

their linear form, as they can be tightly
• “stacked” or “packed” together

MONOUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

• fatty acid with a carbon chain in which one carbon–
carbon double bond is present

OMEGA-3, OMEGA-6, AND OMEGA-9

• omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are essential
POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS • cannot be produced by the body
• a fatty acid with a carbon chain in which two or more • while omega-3 and omega-6 are polyunsaturated,
carbon–carbon double bonds are present omega-9 fatty acids are monounsaturated

UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS AND DOUBLE-BOND POSITION

• numerically based shorthand system
→ 18:0 = OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS
→ 18:2 = NAME SOURCE
• expanded by Greek capital letter delta (𝝙) followed by Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA) - → canola
one or more superscript numbers 18:3 → soybeans

GIANNA ALEXIS LINGAD 2

 → walnuts
→ flaxseed

Eicosapentanoic Acid (EPA) - → cod liver

20:5 → herring
Docosahexanoic Acid (DHA) - → mackerel
22:6 → salmon
→ sardines

ALPHA-LINOLENIC ACID (ALA)

• lowers risk of heart disease and stroke by decreasing
triglycerides and LDL levels

EPA/DHA
• promotes brain and eye development, and can help
prevent cardiovascular diseases as well as the early
onset of Alzheimer’s disease

OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS

NAME SOURCE
Linoleic Acid - 18:2 → peanut oil
→ corn oil
→ safflower oil

Arachidonic Acid - 20:4 → dairy products

→ meat
→ eggs PRACTICE:

NOTE:
• omega-6 fatty acids must be taken in moderation
ARACHIDONIC ACID → type of FA:
• major precursor in the inflammatory process, can lead to → numerical shorthand designation
production of eicosanoids (which can trigger the → omega family
immune system) → delta designation

OMEGA-9 FATTY ACIDS UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

• produced by the body, but can still be beneficial when NATURAL TRANS-FATS ARTIFICIAL TRANS-FATS
obtained in food (canola oil, sunflower oil, and olive oil
are common sources) partial hydrogenation occurs partial hydrogenation is done
in the digestive tract of in vitro
• helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and animals
stroke by INCREASING the levels of HDL and
DECREASING the levels of LDL can be found in meat, dairy can be found in liquid oils (i.e.
vegetable oils)

TRANS FATTY ACIDS

health implications:
→ reduces HDL levels and increases LDL levels
→ promotes an excess of cholesterol
→ promotes visceral fat deposits
→ increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases

GIANNA ALEXIS LINGAD 3