title: Effects of alpha-linolenic acid on colonic secretion in rats with experimental colitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Few studies have specifically examined the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on intestinal water and ion secretion in ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of this study was to examine the contribution of prostaglandins (PGs) and leukotrienes (LTs) to mucosal secretion in intestines with UC and to evaluate the effect of dietary n-3 PUFAs on diarrhea in UC.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the short-circuit current (Isc), using the Ussing chamber method, and fatty acid composition in the colonic mucosa of rats with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitis. The DSS-treated rats were fed either a perilla oil-enriched diet (perilla group) or a soybean oil-enriched diet (soybean group); a control group did not undergo DSS administration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The bradykinin-stimulated DeltaIsc in the soybean and perilla groups was significantly higher than that in the control group. The mucosal level of arachidonic acid in the perilla group was significantly lower than that in the soybean group. The mucosal levels of alpha-linolenic acid and EPA in the perilla group were significantly higher than those in the soybean group. The bradykinin-stimulated DeltaIsc was significantly suppressed after pretreatment with indomethacin in both the soybean and perilla groups, and was also significantly reduced in both groups after pretreatment with AA861. The suppression of bradykinin-stimulated DeltaIsc by the addition of AA861 was significantly higher in the perilla group than in the soybean group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that supplementation with alpha-linolenic acid, in combination with a lipoxygenase inhibitor, could suppress the increase in Cl- secretion in patients with UC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimizu
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Mitsuyoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Tohru
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Hiromich
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shoji
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Igarashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000378:metabolism*; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D015289:Leukotrienes / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015289:Leukotrienes; D011453:Prostaglandins; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid