Chapter 9: Organic Macromolecules in Cellular Structures, Metabolism, and as Drugs: From Fatty Acids to Complex Lipids and Fats

Lipids and fats are organic compounds mostly regarded as non-polar in nature and include fatty acids and their glycerol esters (glycerides) and sterols. This chapter outlines the chemistry of fatty acids and their chemical diversity based on chain length, number of double bonds (unsaturation), and stereochemistry of double bonds (cis–trans isomerism). Cell membrane lipids in the form of glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, sterols, and arachidonic acid metabolism as a target for drugs are scrutinised. The role of lipids in drug preparations and various other related topics of chemistry are presented with the aid of practical examples and problem-solving exercises.