Abstract
The objective of this paper is to study the effects of varying dietary levels of n-6 : n-3 fatty acid ratio on plasma and tissue fatty acid composition in rat. The treatment groups included control rats fed chow diet only, rats fed 50% soybean oil (SBO): 50% cod liver oil (CLO) (1 : 1), 84% SBO: 16% CLO (6 : 1), 96% SBO: 4% CLO (30 : 1). Blood samples were taken at day 15 of pregnancy, and the plasma and tissue were analyzed for fatty acid profile. The n-3 PUFA in plasma of Diet 1 : 1 group was significantly higher than the other diet groups, while the total n-6 PUFA in plasma was significantly higher in Diet 30 : 1 group as compared to the control and Diet 1 : 1 groups. The Diet 1 : 1 group showed significantly greater percentages of total n-3 PUFA and docosahexaenoic acid in adipose and liver tissue, and this clearly reflected the contribution of n-3 fatty acids from CLO. The total n-6 PUFA, linoleic acid, and arachidonic acid were significantly difference in Diet 30 : 1 as compared to Diet 1 : 1 and control group. These results demonstrated that the dietary ratio of n-6 : n-3 fatty acid ratio significantly affected plasma and tissue fatty acids profile in pregnant rat.
Highlights
Fatty acids perform two major physiological roles in mammalian tissues: a structural role and a role in energy storage and production
The total n-6 PUFA, linoleic acid, and arachidonic acid were significantly difference in Diet 30 : 1 as compared to Diet 1 : 1 and control group. These results demonstrated that the dietary ratio of n-6 : n-3 fatty acid ratio significantly affected plasma and tissue fatty acids profile in pregnant rat
The earlier results of this study showed that the cod liver oil (CLO) contains a higher percentage of total n-3 PUFA, linolenic acid (ALA, n-3), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, n-3), whereas soybean oil (SO) contains a higher percentage of linoleic acid (LA, n-6) and total n-6 PUFA which agrees with previous studies [10, 11]
Summary
Fatty acids perform two major physiological roles in mammalian tissues: a structural role and a role in energy storage and production. ALA, and oleic acid (nonessential) are competitive substrates for the same sequence of desaturation enzymes. Dietary intake determines to a great extent the fatty acid composition of phospholipids in the plasma, tissues, and cell membranes [3]. The plasma and adipose tissue FA composition reflect the composition of the diet to a large extent, but they reflect de novo FA synthesis coupled with chain elongation and desaturation [4]. This process occurs in the liver, mammary gland, and adipose tissue.
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