eicosanoid

(noun)

Any of a family of naturally occurring substances derived from 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids; includes prostaglandins, thromboxanes, leukotrienes, and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids; function as hormones.

Related Terms

Examples of eicosanoid in the following topics:

  • The Endocrine System

    • Hormones can be divided into four separate groups: amino acids, polypeptides and proteins, steroids, and eicosanoids.
    • The first three groups have hormones that can have a large impact psychologically; the eicosanoids primarily regulate blood movement.