Lipoxygenase

Lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitors block enzymes that insert molecular oxygen into arachidonic acid and related fatty acids. 5-Lipoxygenase (5-LOX) starts leukotriene synthesis, while 12-LOX and 15-LOX form hydroxylated lipid mediators linked to inflammation and ferroptosis. In 1990, leukotriene synthesis in intact cells was shown to require 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein (FLAP), a membrane partner of 5-LOX. The category covers both points of attack on the leukotriene pathway. Zileuton inhibits 5-LOX directly, whereas MK 886 suppresses leukotriene biosynthesis by binding FLAP. PD146176 is a 15-LOX inhibitor that also appears in ferroptosis research, where lipid peroxidation drives cell death. Baicalein, a flavone from Scutellaria baicalensis roots, is a plant-derived lipoxygenase inhibitor used across several of these models.