Abstract
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, known as omega 3 and omega 6, are important constituents in all eukaryotic organisms and contribute to the structural integrity of biological membranes. Omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are well known for their cardioprotective effects, but not only. In fact, polyunsaturated fatty acids can generate, by a free-radical initiated mechanism, key metabolites which participate in a variety of pathophysiological processes. Oxidative stress conditions induce free radical-catalyzed peroxidation of polyunsaturated fatty acids and led in vivo to the formation of isoprostanes compounds which are now the most reliable indicators of oxidative stress in humans. In this review, the authors present some advances in their knowledge regarding these cyclic polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolites, and how their biological roles may be clarified through new approaches based on analytical and synthetic organic chemistry