AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY ON TRANSCUTANEOUS ABSORPTION OF ETHYLESTERS OF EICOSAPENTAENOIC ACID (EPA 20 5N-3) AND DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID (DHA 22/6N-3) IN PIGS/

Twenty-two pigs with an average weight of 24.2 kg were divided into tw o groups. Five grams of an ointment containing 40% of the n-3 polyunsa turated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (ERA; 20:5n-3) and docosahe xaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) as ethylesters, was administered cutaneous ly to the experimental group and orally to the control group twice dai ly over a 3 day period. Surgical biopsies of subcutaneous fat of all 2 2 pigs were taken before and after the ethylester administration perio d. Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein. Skin biopsies were taken after the application period, and the presence of pathological f eatures and inter-animal Variation were noted. No increase of EPA and DHA in subcutaneous fat was found in either group. In the oral group t he content of EPA had increased in the total plasma lipids on the firs t day after the end of the experiment. It is concluded that a rapid tr anscutaneous absorption of EPA and DHA as ethylesters does not seem to occur in pigs.