Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes, and Lipoxins: Biochemistry, Mechanism of Action, and Clinical Applications

The family of known essential fatty acid metabolites continues to grow. Synthesis of the prostaglandins from essential fatty acids was first described by Bergstrom and Samuelsson in 1964. The thromboxanes were discovered in 1975, the pros- tacyclins, by Moncada and Vane, in 1976, and the leukotrienes by Samuelsson in 1979. The discovery of a new class of biologically active arachidonic acid metab- olites named lipoxins was announced by Bengt Samuelsson at the IVth International Spring Sympo...