DHA and its lipid peroxide products exhibit anti-cancer activity through apoptotic and anti-proliferative mechanisms. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Anticancer properties of oxidation products of docosahexaenoic acid.
Chem Phys Lipids. 2008 May ;153(1):47-56. Epub 2008 Feb 23. PMID: 18343223
Rafat A Siddiqui
Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is the longest, most unsaturated, and hence, most oxidizable fatty acid commonly found in nature. The mechanisms behind DHA's many biological functions remain a subject of much debate. Here we review one important, but often unstudied, aspect of DHA function, namely, the potential role of its many oxidation products. We divide this review into camps, enzymatic and non-enzymatic oxidations, and report their effects primarily on induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. We conclude that the study of the effects of lipid peroxidation products on biochemical function will be a difficult but highly rewarding area for future studies.