Analyzing the fatty acid composition of goat milk and its HDAC inhibitory effects: A rational approach towards understanding the epigenetic impacts of goat milk

Nat Prod Res. 2023 Dec 26:1-4. doi: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2298379. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

Goat milk is a rich source of fatty acids. This study intended to assess the inhibitory potential of goat milk and its extracted fatty acids on histone deacetylases (HDACs). Palmitic acid (C16:0) is the most prevalent saturated fatty acid in goat milk. Goat milk also contains a substantial amount of monounsaturated fatty acids, with oleic acid (C18:1) being the most abundant one. Additionally, the fatty acid profile of goat milk reveals the presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including linoleic acid (C18:2) and α-linolenic acid (C18:3n3). Interestingly, the fat extracted from goat milk showed a greater ability to inhibit HDAC enzymes in comparison to the whole milk. These findings, at least to the best of my knowledge, showed the HDAC inhibitory properties of goat milk for the first time, presenting new opportunities for the development of fatty acid-based epigenetic-targeted food products derived from goat milk.

Keywords: Goat milk; epigenetics; goat milk fat; histone deacetylases inhibitors.