5,8,14-eicosatrienoic (5,8,14-ETA) and 5,8-eicosadienoic (5,8-EDA) acids are converted by the 5-lipoxygenase from RBL-1 cells into 5-hydroperoxy-6,8,14-eicosatrienoic (5-OOH-ETA) and 5-hydroperoxy-6,8-eicosadienoic (5-OOH-EDA) acids, respectively. These hydroperoxy fatty acids, unlike 5-hydroperoxy-6,8,11,14-eicosatetraenoic acid (5-HPETE), are not further processed into leukotrienes by the leukotriene A4 synthase activity of 5-lipoxygenase. 5,8,14-ETA was used to establish the saturation kinetics of 5-lipoxygenase in the 100,000g supernatant from RBL-1 cells. The study was performed by measuring the rate of product formation at optimal concentrations of the cofactors, calcium and ATP. Kinetics performed at various concentrations of supernatant did not follow the Michaelis-Menten equation. This aspect is discussed in relation to the presence of hydroperoxide-reducing system(s) in the supernatant. 5,8,14-ETA and 5,8-EDA turnover rates were also compared.