eicosapentaenoic acid
/ˌʌɪkɒsəˌpɛntiːˈnəʊɪk
/noun [mass noun] Chemistry
A polyunsaturated fatty acid found especially in fish oils.
- Chemical formula: C19H29COOH.
- Your brain needs long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids to function properly and two types - eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid - have come up trumps.
- According to a new book, eicosapentaenoic acid is a substance that can ‘significantly alleviate the symptoms of depression, even in its most severe forms.’
Derivatives
eicosapentaenoate
Origin
1960s: from Greek eicosa- 'twenty' (the number of carbon atoms in the molecule) + penta- 'five' (the number of unsaturated bonds) + -ene + -oic on the pattern of methanoic.