The two most common omega-7 fatty acids in nature are palmitoleic acid
and vaccenic acid. Palmitoleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid
(MUFA).
Palmitoleic acid (16:1ω -7) occurs widely in animals, plants and
microorganisms, and is a major component in some seed oils. Macadamia
oil (Macadamia integrifolia) and sea buckthorn oil (Hippophaë
rhamnoides) are botanical sources with high concentrations, containing
17% and 19% (minimum) to 29% (maximum) of palmitoleic acid,
respectively. Palmitoleic acid has the formula CH3(CH2)5CH=CH(CH2)7COOH.
The MUFA palmitoleic acid or palmitoleate (16:1n–7 or 16:1D9) has
received a lot of attention in recent years, even though its metabolism
was described in the 1960s.
Palmitoleate can be found as a cis (16:1 c9) or a trans (16:1 t9)
isomer. The cis isoform (cis-palmitoleate) has been associated with
increased insulin sensitivity and decreased lipid accumulation in the
liver.
Monoenoic fatty acid: palmitoleic acid
