Effect of dietary menhaden oil on normal growth and development and on ameliorating mucosal injury in rats

Abstract

We evaluated the effects of menhaden oil on growth and development of the small intestinal mucosa in growing rats and on the progression and resolution of methotrexate-induced mucosal injury in the rats. One study compared effects of diets containing 10% safflower oil(SO), 9% SO and 1% menhaden oil (MO), 10% MO, or 9% MO and 1% SO on mucosal growth and development for 125 d. In another study, animals fed the 10% MO or the 10% SO diet for 5 wk were subjected to subcutaneous methotrexate injections for 3 consecutive days. Feeding rats a diet containing large amounts of menhaden oil resulted in lower prostaglandin E2 and leukotriene B4 synthesis and lower sucrase activities. Indicators of mucosal mass after methotrexate-induced injury were significantly improved in both the jejunum and ileum at 3 and 10 d after methotrexate administration. Our data suggest that dietary menhaden oil stimulates mucosal regeneration after methotrexate-induced injury.