General behavioral patterns of rats or mice fed 5 wt%
safflower oil (75%
linoleate [n-6] and less than 0.1% alpha-
linolenate [n-3]) for two generations were significantly different from those of animals fed 5 wt%
perilla oil (15% n-6 and 55% n-3). Also, brightness-discrimination learning ability and
retinal function were higher in the perilla group than in the group fed 5 wt%
soybean oil (53% n-6 and 4.7% n-3) or
safflower oil, indicating that the requirement of n-3 for the maximum responses of the nervous system is above 0.6 en% when there is 6.8 en%
linoleate n-6.
Perilla oil has been found to be beneficial for the suppression of
carcinogenesis, allergic hyperreactivity, thrombotic tendency,
apoplexy,
hypertension, and aging in animals, as compared with
soybean oil and
safflower oil. These results are against a
lipid peroxide theory of aging,
carcinogenesis, and
chronic diseases. Animal experiments and epidemiological studies lead to a recommendation that the intake of n-6 should be decreased to as low
as 2-4 en% and that of n-3 be increased to levels higher than
linoleate n-6 for the prevention of
chronic diseases prevailing in the industrialized countries.