Gamma-Linolenic Acid

Category: lipid

Aliases: GLA, γ-linolenic acid, 18:3 ω-6, Epogam

Pharmacological Mechanism

18:3 ω-6 PUFA that bypasses the rate-limiting Δ6-desaturase step (same enzyme consumes linoleic acid). Elongated to dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA, 20:3n-6), which is the substrate for anti-inflammatory PGE1 and 15-HETrE series — rather than for pro-inflammatory arachidonic-acid-derived eicosanoids, because Δ5-desaturase activity is a bottleneck under typical Western-diet conditions. Net effect: shift toward DGLA-dominant eicosanoid output without appreciable rise in AA-derived prostaglandins.

Half-Life (t½)

PO: 24h

Dosing Guidelines

Target Organ Systems