title: Essential fatty acids in the plasma phospholipids of patients with leprosy.
abstract: Plasma phospholipid essential fatty acids were investigated in 40 patients with leprosy and 40 controls. A significant reduction in linoleic acid was found in the leprosy patients, with an increase in its metabolite dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid. No difference was found between patients with multibacillary and paucibacillary leprosy. Patients treated for less than 6 months were found to have low levels of linoleic acid and high levels of dihomo-gamma-linolenic and arachidonic acid compared with patients treated for more than 6 months.
mesh_terms: D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D010743:Phospholipids