Eicosapentaenoic acid （EPA） is an ω-3 fatty acid which can have beneficial effects on vascular and immune physiology. Also， EPA serves as a precursor for resolvins， mediators that help resolve inflammatory processes. EPA methyl ester is a more lipid-soluble form of EPA. This compound may be more desirable than the free acid in certain formulations. In addition， the methyl ester form of EPA may serve as a prodrug， since it should facilitate uptake of EPA and then be hydrolyzed by esterases to generate the free acid after uptake into cells.
