Comparative study of auto, chemical, and enzymatic oxidation of arachidonic and linoleic acids and evaluation of the antitumour activity of some of these oxidation products

ABSTRACT

Hydroxy and hydroperoxy derivatives of arachidonic [Ar] and linoleic [L] acids were prepared by different oxidation methods; namely, auto, chemical and enzymatic oxidation and comparison of the yield and the selectivity of each method was made. The optimal conditions of each oxidation method were determined. It was found that the preparation of hydroperoxy and hydroxy derivatives, i.e. 5- and 15-hydroperoxy eicosatetraenoic acid, 9- and 13-hydroperoxy octadecadienoic acid, 5- and 15-hydroxy eicosatetraenoic acid, 9- and 13-hydroxy octadecadienoic acid could be possible. The antitumor effect of some of the prepared derivatives was evaluated. The hydroperoxy derivatives of arachidonic acid, i.e. 5- and 15-hydroperoxy eicosatetraenoic acid showed some antitumor effect against Lewis lung cancer in mice, while 5- and 15-hydroxy eicosatetraenoic acid showed some cancer promoting effect