Hexadecenoic acid

Sapienic acid is a fatty acid commonly found on the skin and in mucosa. Sapienic acid has variable antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria found on the skin and in the oral cavity. Sapienic acid is active against Streptococcus sanguinis, Streptococcus mitis and Fusobacterium nucleatum with MBC values of 31.3 μg/mL, 375.0 μg/mL and 93.8 μg/mL, respectively[1].

ChEBI: A hexadecenoic acid in which the double bond is located at position 6 (the Z-geoisomer). A major component of human sebaceous lipids that is involved in skin self-sterilisation and atopic dermatitis amelioration.

[1] Fischer CL, et al. Antibacterial activity of sphingoid bases and fatty acids against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012 Mar;56(3):1157-61. DOI:10.1128/AAC.05151-11