ARA

Arachidonic acid (ARA; 5,8,11,14-cis-eicosatetraenoicacid) is a major constituent and plays the role of maintaining membrane fluidity in biological cells. In animals, ARA content is about 10% in vital organs such as blood and liver. ARA has also attracted attention as a precursor of prostaglandins, thromboxane, prostacyclin, and leucotrienes, which have potent and various physiological actions including uterine muscle contraction, relaxation, vasodilatation, and antihypertensive action. Various physiological functions of ARA have been reported, protection of gastric mucosa, treatment of skin psoriasis, reduction of fatty liver, killing of tumor cells, and improvement of lipid metabolism of cirrhotic patients.