MOLECULE

Palmitoleic acid

Palmitoleic acid, also known as palmitoleate or zoomaric acid or C16:1, is an omega-7 monounsaturated fatty acid that is found in plants (PMID: 11308350) such as cannabis plants (PMID:6991645) and marine sources (PMID: 19382347). It belongs to the class of organic compounds known as long-chain fatty acids. These are fatty acids with an aliphatic tail that contains between 13 and 21 carbon atoms. Palmitoleic acid is a very hydrophobic molecule, practically insoluble in water, and relatively neutral. Palmitoleic acid exists in all living species, ranging from bacteria to humans. Macadamia nuts and buckthorn seed oil contain the cis isomer of palmitoleic acid. Palmitoleic acid is also found in mung beans, java plums, napa cabbages, cucurbita (gourd), and kiwis.. It is also a common constituent of the glycerides of human adipose tissue. Present in all tissues, it is generally found in higher concentrations in the liver. Palmitoleic acid, with regard to humans, has been found to be associated with several diseases such as colorectal cancer and cirrhosis; palmitoleic acid has also been linked to the inborn metabolic disorder isovaleric acidemia. Palmitoleic acid has been reported to have beneficial effects on insulin sensitivity, cholesterol metabolism, and hemostasis. Other positive effects reported include lowering LDL cholesterol and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL)(https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-78242-247-1.00004-1). Palmitoleic acid is also a constituent of cannabis smoke and is volatilized during the combustion of cannabis (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-947-9_2).