Therapeutic efficacy of N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid in experimental Crohn's disease.

We investigated the therapeutic efficacy of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on trinitro-benzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in the rats, which condition is considered an experimental Crohn's disease (CD). In rats with TNBS-induced colitis, feeding with an elemental diet (ED) plus 2% n-3 PUEA-rich perilla oil significantly suppressed plasma leukotriene (LT) B4 and ulcer index compared to that in rats fed with ED plus 2% n-6 PUFA-rich safflower oil (34.2 +/- 12.3 s 63.8 +/- 13.2 pg/ml and 8.8 +/- 12.1 vs 66.4 +/- 33.1, P < 0.01, respectively). Moreover, the plasma LTB4 and the ulcer index were significantly correlated (P < 0.05). Feeding with ED plus 2% alpha-linolenic acid (A-LA)-rich vegetable oil significantly reduced plasma LTB4 and colonic weight compared to that in rats fed with ED plus 2% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/docosahexaenonic acid (DHA)-rich fish oil in this model (61.6 +/- 10.5 vs 85.0 +/- 20.9 pg/ml and 0.83 +/- 0.13 vs 0.96 +/- 0.08g, P < 0.05, respectively). This study suggested that dietary fat manipulation with perilla oil can reduce colonic damage and that this is correlated with the suppression of plasma LTB4. The therapeutic efficacy of A-LA in controlling intestinal inflammation in experimental CD may be superior to that of EPA and DHA.