Oleic acid is an unsaturated fatty acid that is the most widely distributed and abundant fatty acid in nature. It is used commercially in the preparation of oleates and lotions, and as a pharmaceutical solvent. Oleic acid occurs naturally in various animal and vegetable fats and oils. It is a component of the normal human diet as a part of animal fats and vegetable oils. Oleic acid may be responsible for the hypotensive (blood pressure reducing) effects of olive oil. Oleic acid has being shown to have a potential anticancer activity.

Monoethanolamine is both a primary amine and a primary alcohol. It is an olamine derivative. Monoethanolamine occurs in every cell in the human body as the head group of Phosphatidylethanolamine. Monoethanolamine is a component of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins, which are essential for viability. Other sources of monoethanolamine or phosphoethanolamine in the human body are the degradation of sphingosine phosphate by sphingosine phosphate lyase and the degradation of the endocannabinoid anandamide by the fatty acid amine hydrolase. Monoethanolamine stimulates the rapid growth of mammalian cells in culture. Monoethanolamine has a cardioprotective role against ischemia/reperfusion injury via activation of the transcription factor STAT-3. Monoethanolamine is a chemical intermediate in the manufacture of cosmetics, surface-active agents, emulsifiers, pharmaceuticals, and plasticizing agents.