Borghi Claudio, Cicero Arrigo F G
Clinical Medicine and Applied Biotechnology Department "D. Campanacci", Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Bologna - Italy.
Heart Int. 2006;2(2):98. doi: 10.4081/hi.2006.98. Epub 2006 Sep 30.
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) from fish and fish oils appear to protect against coronary heart disease: their dietary intake is in fact inversely associated to cardiovascular disease morbidity/mortality in population studies. Recent evidence suggests that at least part of their heart protective effect is mediated by a relatively small but significant decrease in blood pressure level. In fact, omega-3 PUFAs exhibit wide-ranging biological actions that include regulating both vasomotor tone and renal sodium excretion, partly competing with omega-6 PUFAs for common metabolic enzymes and thereby decreasing the production of vasocostrincting rather than vasodilating and anti-inflammatory eicosanoids. PUFAs also reduce angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity, angiotensin II formation, TGF-beta expression, enhance eNO generation and activate the parasympathetic nervous system. The final result is improved vasodilation and arterial compliance of both small and large arteries. Preliminary clinical trials involving dyslipidemic patients, diabetics and elderly subjects, as well as normotensive and hypertensive subjects confirm this working hypothesis. Future research will clarify if PUFA supplementation could improve the antihypertensive action of specific blood pressure lowering drug classes and of statins.
鱼类和鱼油中的ω-3多不饱和脂肪酸（PUFAs）似乎可以预防冠心病：在人群研究中，它们的膳食摄入量实际上与心血管疾病的发病率/死亡率呈负相关。最近的证据表明，其对心脏的保护作用至少有一部分是通过血压水平相对较小但显著的降低来介导的。事实上，ω-3多不饱和脂肪酸具有广泛的生物学作用，包括调节血管舒缩张力和肾脏钠排泄，部分与ω-6多不饱和脂肪酸竞争共同的代谢酶，从而减少血管收缩性而非血管舒张性和抗炎性类二十烷酸的产生。多不饱和脂肪酸还可降低血管紧张素转换酶（ACE）活性、血管紧张素II的形成、转化生长因子-β的表达，增强一氧化氮（eNO）的生成并激活副交感神经系统。最终结果是大小动脉的血管舒张和动脉顺应性得到改善。涉及血脂异常患者、糖尿病患者和老年受试者以及血压正常和高血压受试者的初步临床试验证实了这一工作假设。未来的研究将阐明补充多不饱和脂肪酸是否可以改善特定降压药物类别和他汀类药物的降压作用。
