Effect of arachidonic acid-rich oil on lipids and arachidonate metabolitesin ethanol-treated rats

The effects of dietary arachidonic acid-rich oil (AAoil) on lipids and arac hidonate metabolites in the liver and plasma were evaluated in ethanol-trea ted rats. Rats were fed a purified diet containing 10% weight of lard or AA oil for 14 days. Ethanol was administered by gavage at a single daily dose of 3 g/kg body weight. Comparing with the lard group, a decrease was observ ed in liver fatty vacuoles in the AAoil group. Plasma 6-keto-prostaglandin (PG) F1 alpha and thromboxane (TX) B-2 levels and the 6-keto-PGF1 alpha /TX B2 ratio increased significantly in the AAoil group. Liver 6-keto-PGF1 alph a also increased but not leukotriene B-4 in the AAoil group. In the phospho lipid fraction of liver tissue, plasma and red blood cells, arachidonic aci d (20:4n-6) and docosatetraenoic acid (22:4n-6) increased and oleic acid (1 8:1n-9) and linoleic acid (18:2n-6) decreased significantly in the AAoil gr oup compared with the lard group. These observations suggest that AAoil sup plementation reduces liver injury of ethanol-treated rats, although longer observation will be necessary for confirmation. (C) 2001 Harcourt Publisher s Ltd.