Main Entry: pros·ta·glan·din

Pronunciation: \ˌpräs-tə-ˈglan-dən\

Function: noun

: any of various oxygenated unsaturated cyclic fatty acids of animals that are formed as cyclooxygenase metabolites especially from unsaturated fatty acids (as arachidonic acid) composed of a chain of 20 carbon atoms and that perform a variety of hormonelike actions (as in controlling blood pressure or smooth muscle contraction)