BIOACTIVE AMIDES OF FATTY-ACIDS

Amides of fatty acids are lipid bioregulators formed from long chain s aturated and unsaturated fatty acids via amidation by the correspondin g amines. Ethanolamides of fatty acids are the most well-studied speci es of this group; an alternative pathway for their biosynthesis includ es hydrolysis of N-acylated phosphatidylethanolamines by phospholipase D. Ethanolamides of fatty acids bind to the cannabinoid receptors of the central nervous system (CB1) or peripheral tissues (CB2) and can b e considered as endogenous ligands of these receptors. Their pharmacol ogical properties are similar to that of cannabimimetics. Simple amide s of fatty acids are also endogenous bioregulators acting like sleep-i nducing (oleamide) or angiogenic factors (erucamide). A new group of b ioregulators comprise the amides of fatty acids and biologically activ e amines (vanillinamine, dopamine, and serotonin).