title: Therapeutic potential of fish oil in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.
abstract: In a pilot study six patients with active ulcerative colitis and six healthy controls were given fish oil (MaxEPA) containing 3-4 g of eicosapentaenoic acid daily for a period of 12 weeks. There was a significant improvement in the patients' symptoms and histological appearance of the rectal mucosa by the end of the treatment period. There was significant fall in neutrophil chemiluminescence during treatment in patients, whereas no change was observed in the control group. Neutrophil leukotriene B4 levels fell significantly during treatment. Serum from patients receiving fish oil was significantly less chemotactic for neutrophils compared with control serum. Eicosapentaenoic acid inhibited neutrophil chemotaxis and chemiluminescence in vitro. The omega-3 fatty acids, which occur naturally in fish oils, may exert a beneficial effect by decreasing the production of inflammatory mediators.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Trinity College Medical School, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Eire.
authors.forename: T B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: McCall
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Leary
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bloomfield
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: O'Moráin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000187:drug effects; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007975:Leukotriene B4 / Q000378:metabolism; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005395:Fish Oils; D007975:Leukotriene B4; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid