INFLUENCE OF ADMINISTRATION OF LONG-CHAIN POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACIDSON PROCESS OF HISTOLOGICAL RECOVERY IN LIVER-CIRRHOSIS PRODUCED BY ORAL INTAKE OF THIOACETAMIDE

Patients with liver cirrhosis frequently show some degree of protein-e nergy malnutrition and obviously require nutritional support. In this study, the treatment of rats consisted of the ad libitum oral intake o f a 300 mg/liter thioacetamide solution, used as drinking water for fo ur months. Thioacetamide treatment produced a severe alteration in the plasma fatty acid profile with significant decreases of these, which mimicked changes described in human cirrhosis. This hepatotoxic agent causes nodular cirrhosis, with loss of the normal architecture of the liver and disruption of the vascular pattern. The goal of the study wa s to evaluate the influence of n-3 and n-6 series long-chain polyunsat urated fatty acid dietary supplementation in experimental animals and to assess the effects of those dietary components on structural recove ry in the liver. Significant increases of saturated and monounsaturate d fatty acids as well as n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids were seen onl y in the animals given the n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplemented diet. However, only rats given the standard diet exhibited some degre e of histological regeneration.