Prostaglandin H2
Prostaglandin H2 is a type of prostaglandin and a precursor for many other biologically significant molecules. It is synthesized from arachidonic acid in a reaction catalyzed by a cyclooxygenase enzyme. The conversion from Arachidonic acid to Prostaglandin H2 is a two step process. First, COX-1 catalyzes the addition of two free oxygens to form the 1,2-Dioxane bridge and a peroxide functional group to form Prostaglandin G2. Second, COX-2 reduces the peroxide functional group to a Secondary alcohol, forming Prostaglandin H2. Other peroxidases like Hydroquinone have been observed to reduce PGG2 to PGH2. PGH2 is unstable at room temperature, with a half life of 90-100 seconds, so it is often converted into a different prostaglandin.
It is acted upon by:
It rearranges non-enzymatically to:
- A mixture of 12--hydroxy-5Z,8E,10E-heptadecatrienoic acid and 12--hydroxy-5Z,8Z,10E-heptadecatrienoic acid
Use of prostaglandin H2:
Effects of Aspirin on prostaglandin H2:
- Aspirin has been hypothesized to block the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandin
