ABSTRACT
Arachidonic acid (AA) is a fatty acid constituent of the phospholipids of cell membranes. It is the precursor for a family of bioactive lipids collectively known as eicosanoids, the best known of which are leukotrienes (LTs) and prostaglandins (PGs). A low rate of eicosanoid synthesis occurs under basal conditions, but synthesis can be dramatically increased in response to a myriad of stimuli. Generation of eicosanoids and their interactions with cellular receptors result in a host of responses in target cells and tissues that are central to normal homeostasis as well as to the pathogenesis of many disease states. Because of the long-recognized roles of eicosanoids in pain, platelet aggregation, microvascular permeability, smooth muscle contraction, and inflammation, these mediators have been traditionally linked with diseases such as arthritis, ischemic cardiovascular disease, and asthma (1).
