INFLUENCE OF KOREAN PINE (PINUS-KORAIENSIS) SEED OIL CONTAINING CIS-5,CIS-9,CIS-12-OCTADECATRIENOIC ACID ON POLYUNSATURATED FATTY-ACID METABOLISM, EICOSANOID PRODUCTION AND BLOOD-PRESSURE OF RATS

The effects of dietary Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis)-seed oil contain ing a peculiar trienoic acid (cis-5, cis-9,cis-12-18:3, pinolenic acid , approximately 18%) on various lipid variables were compared in rats with those of flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum L.) oil, safflower (Cartha mus tinctorius L.) oil and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis L.) oil under experimental conditions where the effects of different polyunsa turated fatty acids could be estimated. In Sprague-Dawley rats fed on diets containing 100 g fat and 5 g cholesterol/kg, the hypocholesterol aemic activity of pinolenic acid was intermediate between alpha-linole nic and Linoleic acids. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of live r phosphatidylcholine indicated that, in contrast to alpha-linolenic a cid, pinolenic acid does not interfere with the desaturation of Linole ic acid to arachidonic acid. However, the effects on ADP-induced plate let aggregation and aortic prostacyclin production were comparable. Wh en spontaneously hypertensive rats were fed on diets containing 100 g fat/kg but free of cholesterol, gamma-linolenic and pinolenic acids, a s compared with Linoleic acid, increased prostacyclin production and t ended to reduce platelet aggregation. In addition, pinolenic acid atte nuated the elevation of blood pressure after 5 weeks of feeding. Thus, the results of the present studies indicate the beneficial effects of pinolenic acid on various lipid variables.