Abstract
The methyl ester of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and three triglycerides containing EPA (EEE, trieicosapentaenoylglycerol; EEP, 1, 2 (or 2, 3) -dieicosapentaenoyl-3 (or 1) -palm-itoylglycerol; EPP, 1, 2 (or 2, 3) -dipalmitoyl-3 (or 1) -eicosapentaenoylglycerol) were autoxidized and their monohydroperoxide (MHP) isomers were analyzed by normal phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Eight MHP isomers (18-, 15-, 14-, 12-, 11-, 9-, 8-, 5-position) were found in the autoxidized methyl ester of EPA and the major component was 18-MHP. Although eihgt MHP isomers were detected during the autoxidation of EEE, EEP and EPP, 5-MHP was produced in only slight amount. The lipid structure is thus shown to be a determining factor of the composition of the MHP isomers of EPA.
