A FOOD ADDITIVE CONTAINING OMEGA(3)-POLYU NSATURATED FATTY-ACIDS PREVENTS EXPERIMENTAL CORONARY THROMBOTIC OCCLUSION IN DOGS

The antithrombotic effect of fish oil (FO) cannot be explained by its action on platelets. FO may act on the activity of the fibrinolytic sy stem. A food additive of the oil was studied for its effects on thromb osis and fibrinolysis, in a canine model of experimental coronary thro mbosis. During 4 weeks, 6 animals were fed a diet containing Sardinops sagax melanosticta oil (400 mg/kg/day) (omega3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega3-PUFA), 5 dogs had isocaloric amounts of olive oil (00), 5 animals were controls on a routine diet., Thrombosis was induced by anodal current, 170 mcA, through the silver electrode inserted into th e coronary artery across its wall, thus contacting with the intima of the preconstricted left circumflex artery. Plasma levels of eicosapent aenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and euglobulin clot lysis time were determined before and after diet. The frequency of occlusion for 180 min after power turning-on was 5/5 in the 00 and control grou ps, but 1/5 in the FO group. Thus, dietary supplementation with FO whi ch caused a substantial increase in plasma omega3-PUFA prevented coron ary artery occlusions without decreasing euglobulin clot lysis time. S o, while producing antithrombotic effects, the oil failed to affect fi brinolysis in this model of thrombosis.