Mead acid

Mead acid (CAS 20590-32-3), also identified in research and supply contexts as ETrE or cis-5,8,11-Eicosatrienoic acid, is an endogenous omega-9 polyunsaturated fatty acid produced by the body under essential fatty acid deficiency conditions.

In commercial and research settings, it functions as a reference lipid, biomarker standard, and active ingredient in formulations targeting skin barrier function and cellular signaling. In pharmaceutical and clinical research, it serves as a diagnostic biomarker.

This makes it a critical reference standard for analytical laboratories and assay development. Cosmetic formulators incorporate it into topical preparations where it contributes to moisturization and skin barrier support.

It is particularly useful in products designed for compromised or sensitive skin. In biotechnology and life sciences, it is used in cell culture studies and lipid metabolism research to model omega-6 deficiency states.

It is also used to investigate eicosanoid pathways. Nutritional researchers use it as an analytical reference compound when profiling fatty acid compositions in food matrices and dietary supplements.

Mead acid is supplied as a neat liquid or dissolved in organic solvent at defined concentrations, primarily for research and analytical use. It is available in research-grade and high-purity grades.

Specifications are typically confirmed by GC or HPLC purity analysis. Pack sizes generally range from milligram-scale research quantities up to gram quantities for formulation development work.