Palmitoleic acid
Palmitoleic acid, or -hexadec-9-enoic acid, is an omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid with the formula CH35CH=CH7COOH that is a common constituent of the glycerides of human adipose tissue. It is present in all tissues but, in general, found in higher concentrations in the liver. It is biosynthesized from palmitic acid by the action of the enzyme Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1.
Animal and cell culture studies indicate that palmitoleic acid is anti-inflammatory, and improves insulin sensitivity in liver and skeletal muscles, but more studies are required to establish its actions in humans. Many of the effects of palmitoleic acid are due to its activation of PPAR-alpha.Palmitoleic acid can be abbreviated as 16:1∆9. Dietary sources of palmitoleic acid include breast milk, a variety of animal fats, vegetable oils, and marine oils. Macadamia oil and sea buckthorn oil are botanical sources with high concentrations, containing 17% and 19-29% palmitoleic acid, respectively. It also comprises 13.55% of the fats from the fruit of the durian species Durio graveolens.
