Cyclooxygenase (Cox) pathway of eicosanoid metabolism and its relevance in inflammation. Nomenclature: Simplified scheme of the cyclooxygenase pathway (COX) leading to the formation of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. The nomenclature common abbreviations are bold, followed by the common trivial names (if available) and (if available) by the name in accordance to the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC): ω-6-PUFAs N-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid; LA linoleic acid, cis, cis-9,12-octadecadienoic acid; LA is not a direct substrate of prostaglandins − this occurs after metabolism to γ-LA; therefore LA here is in brackets; γ-LA gamma linolenic acid; DGLA dihomo gamma-linolenic acid, (8Z,11Z,14Z)-8,11,14-Icosatrienoic acid; AA archidonic acid, (5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)-5,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid; DTA docosatetranoic acid, (7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z)-7,10,13,16-docosatetraenoic acid; BDPA osbond acid, (All-Z)-4,7,10,13,16-docosapentaenoic acid; Cox-1 cyclooxygenase 1; Cox-2 cyclooxygenase 2; Cox-3 splice variant and isoform of Cox-2, (therefore in brackets); PGG2 prostaglandin G2, (Z)-7-[(1S,4R,5R,6R)-5-[(E,3S)-3-hydroperoxyoct-1-enyl]-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-6-yl]hept-5-enoic acid; PGI2 prostaglandin I2, prostacyclin I2, (5Z)-5-[(3aR,4R,5R,6aS)-5-hydroxy-4-[(E,3S)-3-hydroxyoct-1-enyl]-3,3a,4,5,6,6a-hexahydrocyclopenta[b]furan-2-ylidene]pentanoic acid; 6-keto-PGF1α 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha, 7-[(1R,2R,3R,5S)-3,5-dihydroxy-2-[(E,3S)-3-hydroxyoct-1-enyl]cyclopentyl]-6-oxoheptanoic acid; PGH2 prostaglandin H2, (Z)-7-[(1S,4R,5R,6R)-5-[(E,3S)-3-hydroxyoct-1-enyl]-2,3-dioxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-6-yl]hept-5-enoic acid; PGFF2α prostaglandine F2 alpha, (Z)-7-[(1R,2R,3R,5S)-3,5-dihydroxy-2-[(E,3S)-3-hydroxyoct-1-enyl]cyclopentyl]hept-5-enoic acid; PGD2 prostaglandin D2, (Z)-7-[(1R,2R,5S)-5-hydroxy-2-[(E,3S)-3-hydroxyoct-1-enyl]-3-oxocyclopentyl]hept-5-enoic acid; PGE2 prostaglandin E2, (Z)-7-[(1R,2R,3R)-3-hydroxy-2-[(E,3S)-3-hydroxyoct-1-enyl]-5-oxocyclopentyl]hept-5-enoic acid; TXA2 thromboxane A2, (Z)-7-[(1S,2S,3R,5S)-3-[(E,3S)-3-hydroxyoct-1-enyl]-4,6-dioxabicyclo[3.1.1]heptan-2-yl]hept-5-enoic acid; MDA malondialdehyde, propanedial.