title: Essential fatty acid metabolism in south Indians.
abstract: Coronary artery disease (CAD), hypertension and diabetes mellitus are more common in Indians compared to their incidence in the Western population. The exact reason for this is not known. One of the risk factors for the development of and complications due to CAD, hypertension and diabetes mellitus could be hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance and low plasma levels of arachidonic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, metabolites of dietary essential fatty acids (EFAs), cis-linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids. Fatty acid analysis of the plasma phospholipid (PL) fraction of normal Indians showed that they have low concentrations of arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in comparison to those seen in Canadian and Minnesota (USA) normals. Since insulin can activate EFA metabolism, this alteration in the EFA metabolism may, at least, in part explain the high incidence of CAD, hypertension and diabetes mellitus and insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia that are common in Indians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Punjagutta, Hyderabad, India.
authors.forename: U N
authors.initials: UN
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ramesh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000209:etiology; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D007194:India; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005228:Fatty Acids, Essential; D007328:Insulin; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid