Modification of adjuvant inflammation in rats deficient in essential fatty acids.

Rats deficient in essential fatty acids (EFA) did not develop as much foot swelling on receiving injections of complete Freund's adjuvant as did normal controls. Both the acute inflammation and the chronic inflammation were affected. This reduction in the chronic phase of adjuvant inflammation was restored to normal levels by feeding a small supplement of corn oil as a dietary source of EFA. Since the EFA are biologic precursors of prostaglandins (PG), the lack of EFA is thought to influence adjuvant-induced inflammation by reducing available PG mediators of inflammation.