Oleamides (inci)

Oleamide is the carboxylic acid amide of oleic acid. The fatty, water-insoluble (soluble in ethanol) oleamide, with the molecular formula C18H35NO, is naturally present in the organism as a cis-isomer. It is involved in a number of signalling processes (Nam HY et al. 2017).

Oleamides play an important role as neuromodulators. Oleamides bind primarily to the cannabinoid receptor CB1R, which is widely distributed in the brain (Rueda-Orozco PE et al. 2017). Oleamide is capable of light-dark adaptation to influence brain functions such as memory, sleep and pain perception (Prospéro-García O et al. 2016). Furthermore, oleamide also activates the vanilloid TRPV1 receptors. Oleamide is degraded in the organism by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH).

Oleamides and different oleamide derivatives are used in cosmetic formulations. Oeloamides act as opacifiers (clouding the transparency and light transmission of cosmetic products) and viscosity regulators (increasing or decreasing the viscosity of cosmetic products).

Industrially, oleamides are mainly used in the production of plastics.

1. Nam HY et al (2017) Antiepileptic and Neuroprotective Effects of Oleamide in Council Striatum onKainate-Induced Behavioral Seizure and Excitotoxic Damage via Calpain Inhibition. Front Pharmacol 8:817.
2. Prospéro-García O et al (2016) Endocannabinoids and sleep Neurosci Biobehav Rev 71:671-679.
3. Rueda-Orozco PE et al. (2017) The effects of anandamide and oleamide on cognition depend on diurnal variations. Brain Res 1672:129-136.