Protective effect of fish oil against stress-induced gastric injury in rats.

The effect of fish oil and olive oil on the gastric mucosal damage induced by cold-restraint stress was investigated in rats. The oils were dietary supplemented for 3 weeks. The results demonstrate that a diet containing fish oil, when ingested for 3 weeks before exposure to stress, protected from gastric ulceration significantly (p < 0.01) and led to a statistically significant increase both in mucus and phospholipid content of the gastric mucosal barrier (p < 0.02 and p <0.001, resp.) in cold-restraint stress-induced gastric injury in rats. However, further studies are required to determine the role of dietary fish oils in the prophylaxis and treatment of peptic ulcer.