Methyl tetradecenoate (cis-9)

This product is the methyl ester of the ω-5 fatty acid myristoleic acid. Myristoleic acid is a natural but uncommon fatty acid produced from myristic acid by the Δ9-desatuase enzyme. When esterified with cetyl alcohol myristoleic acid becomes cetyl mytistoleate, a compound with multiple biological properties including anti-infammitory, pain relief and immune system modulation. Extracts from Serenoa repens have been used to cause cell death in prostate cancer cells and myristoleic acid has been identified as at least one of the cytotoxic components of the extract.{50616} Myristoleic acid has been shown to suppress growth of hamster flank organs by inhibiting the 5α-reductase enzyme and thereby preventing the conversion of testosterone to 5α-dihydrotestosterone.{50617} Among the bioactive products in bovine whey that help to promote health and prevent disease is myristoleic acid which inhbits the germination of the pathogenic Candida albicans.{14761} Myristoleic acid has shown some anticarcinogenic effects by inhibiting the nuclear density of chemically induced transformation cells.{50618} A seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum extract has been shown to cause an increase of myristoleic acid accumulation in adipose tissues.