AMELIORATIVE EFFECTS OF DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID ON SERUM-LIPID CHANGES IN STROKE-PRONE SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

It has been shown that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has numerous physiol ogical actions. However, the precise mechanism of these actions is sti ll obscure, and DHA is not yet regarded as a drug. The present study w as undertaken to elucidate the effects of longterm administration of D HA on the serum lipid concentrations in stroke-prone spontaneously hyp ertensive rats (SPSHR). SPSHR was selected because serum lipid derange ment is one of the primary risk factors in the development and mainten ance of hypertension. DHA-treated SPSHR showed significantly lower blo od pressure when compared with that of non-treated SPSHR; total choles terol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein and lipid peroxide levels were significantly decreased in DHA-treated SPSHR. On the other hand, the high density lipoprotein concentrations tended to increase in DHA -treated SPSHR when compared with those in non-treated SPSHR. These fi ndings suggest that long-term administration of DHA has a protective e ffect against serum lipid derangement in SPSHR. This DHA-induced ameli oration of serum lipid changes in SPSHR might be associated with mecha nisms involving the antihypertensive action induced by DHA.