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Eicosanoid
In biochemistry,
eicosanoids
(
preferred IUPAC name
icosanoids
) are
signaling molecules
made by
oxidation
of 20-carbon
fatty acids
. They exert complex control over many bodily systems; mainly in
growth
during and after physical activity,
inflammation
or
immunity
after the intake of
toxic
compounds and
pathogens
, and as messengers in the
central nervous system
. Many are classified as
hormones
. The networks of controls that depend upon eicosanoids are among the most complex in the human body.
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