linolenic acid

/ -ˈliː-; ˌlɪnəʊˈlɛnɪk /

noun

1. a colourless unsaturated essential fatty acid found in drying oils, such as linseed oil, and used in making paints and synthetic resins; 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid. Formula: C 18 H 30 O 2 Also calledalpha-linolenic acid

linolenic acid

/ lĭn′ə-lĕn′ĭk /

1. An unsaturated fatty acid that has three double bonds and is a nutrient essential to the formation of prostaglandins in the human body. Linolenic acid belongs to the class of omega-3 fatty acids. It is an important component of natural drying oils (such as linseed oil) and is also found in some fish oils. Chemical formula: C 18 H 30 O 2 .