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Prostaglandin E1 Fatty Acids and Microbial Growth

Abstract

THE isolation and structural elucidation of a new group of naturally-occurring C20 fatty acids, the prostaglandins, have recently been achieved by Bergström and his co-workers1. These fatty acids have been found in semen2,3, lung4 and endometrium5. Their physiological significance is unknown. Since fatty acids account for some of the antimicrobial activity of human sebaceous secretions6,7, it was decided to investigate whether prostaglandins might also be naturally-occurring antimicrobial agents, thus providing a chemical defence mechanism in the respiratory and reproductive tracts.

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References

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HOLMES, S. Prostaglandin E1 Fatty Acids and Microbial Growth. Nature 206, 405–406 (1965). https://doi.org/10.1038/206405a0

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