The toxicological impact of unconjugated linoleic acid

Abstract

Linoleic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid, is one of the most abundant fatty acids in the Western diet (Whelan, 2008). Linoleic acid, being a precursor for arachidonic acid, is associated with the production of proinflammatory eicosanoids such as prostaglandins, thromboxanes and leukotrienes (Johnson and Fritsch, 2012). It is also suspected that linoleic acid may display potent proinflammatory activities, independent of its role as an arachidonic acid precursor. Various cell types have been shown to metabolise linoleic acid into other biologically active oxidation products such as leukotoxin (Fritch, 2008).