DOCOSAHEXAENOIC ACID INHIBITS BLOOD-VISCOSITY IN STROKE-PRONE SPONTANEOUSLY HYPERTENSIVE RATS

Increased blood viscosity facilitates the formation of thrombosis. Thi s is an important risk factor in the occurrence of cerebral infarction s. The present study was undertaken to elucidate whether docosahexaeno ic acid (DHA) inhibits blood viscosity, hematocrit and fibrinogen in t he disease animal model, stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). An attempt was also made to clarify the effect of DHA on bloo d pressure in SHRSP. Blood viscosity, hematocrit and fibrinogen in non -treated SHRSP increased significantly when compared with levels in ag e-matched non-treated Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). SHRSP rats which were a dministered DHA for 5 weeks displayed significant decreases in blood v iscosity, hematocrit and fibrinogen when compared with the values in n on-treated SHRSP. The blood pressure of DHA-treated SHRSP was signific antly lower than that of non-treated SHRSP. A positive correlation exi sted between blood pressure and blood viscosity. These findings sugges t that decreased blood viscosity induced by DHA appears to be associat ed with the reduction of thrombosis formation and hypotensive action i n SHRSP.