Dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids influence the recovery of thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis in rats.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The aim of this study was to evaluate the dietary supplementation with omega-3 and omega-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on the fatty acid composition of plasma and red blood cell membranes in rats with thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis.

METHODS:

Thirty-eight female Wistar rats were given 300 mg thioacetamide/L in drinking water for 4 months to induce the experimental liver cirrhosis. Sixteen rats were used as controls. After treatment with thioacetamide, nine rats of each group were killed. Then, thioacetamide-treated rats were divided into three new groups, each receiving a different diet for 2 weeks: a semipurified diet (n = 9), the same diet supplemented with omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n = 10), or the same semipurified diet supplemented with omega-3 and omega-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids simultaneously (n = 10). The remaining control rats were fed the semipurified diet. Liver histology and plasma and erythrocyte fatty acid composition were assessed.

RESULTS:

An apparent improvement of the histological damage took place in the rats fed the omega-3+ omega-6-supplemented diet. The diet supplemented with polyunsaturated fatty acids of the omega-3 series induced increases in the omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid levels in total plasma lipids, plasma lipid fractions and in erythrocyte phospholipids, and decreases in omega-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in erythrocyte phospholipids during the recovery of rats with thioacetamide-induced liver cirrhosis. The administration of the diet supplemented with both omega-3 and omega-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids contributed to increase the levels of total plasma saturated, monounsaturated, and omega-6 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids from cirrhotic rats.

CONCLUSION:

We conclude that the simultaneous supply of long-chain fatty acids of the omega-3 and the omega-6 series can be beneficial to improve the fatty acid status of this experimental model of liver cirrhosis.

• Authors: E Moreira, L Fontana, M I Torres, I Fernández, A Ríos, F Sánchez de Medina, A Gil
• Journal: JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition (JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr) 1995 Nov-Dec Vol. 19 Issue 6 Pg. 461-9 ISSN: 0148-6071 [Print] United States
• PMID: 8748360 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Dietary Fats, Unsaturated
• Fatty Acids, Omega-3
• Fatty Acids, Omega-6
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated
• Lipids
• Thioacetamide

Topics

• Animals
• Dietary Fats, Unsaturated (therapeutic use)
• Fatty Acids, Omega-3 (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Fatty Acids, Omega-6
• Fatty Acids, Unsaturated (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Female
• Lipids (blood)
• Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental (chemically induced, diet therapy, pathology)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Thioacetamide