The neuroprotective effect of fish n-3 fatty acids in the hippocampus of diabetic rats.
BACKGROUND
Diabetes mellitus may lead to functional and structural changes in the brain. Fish oil is a rich source of n-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) such as eicosapentaenoic and docosahexoenoic acids. We examined the neuroprotective effects of fish n-3 EFA in the hippocampus of diabetic rats.


METHODS
Nineteen adult male rats were divided into three groups. Group I (control; n = 6) was fed a normal rat diet. Group II (diabetic; n = 6) was fed a normal rat diet and streptozotocin (STZ) was administered to induce diabetes mellitus. Group III (n-3 + diabetic; n = 7) was fed a normal rat diet and fish n-3 EFA (Marincap, 0.4 g/kg/day) for 8 weeks and STZ was administered to induce diabetes mellitus. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were measured in the left hippocampus after the animals were sacrificed. The right hemisphere was completely blocked. The sections were stained with Cresyl Violet and apoptotic neurons were counted in the hippocampus.


RESULTS
The levels of MDA and activities of SOD and CAT increased in diabetic rats compared to control rats. However, the levels of MDA and activities of SOD and CAT decreased in n-3 + diabetic rats compared to diabetic rats. Also, the number of apoptotic neurons increased in diabetic rats compared to control rats and decreased in n-3 + diabetic rats compared to diabetic rats.


CONCLUSIONS
Fish n-3 EFA reduces oxidative stress and induces apoptotic changes in the hippocampus of STZ-diabetic rats. The addition of fish n-3 EFA to diets may be useful to prevent functional and structural changes to cerebral centers due to diabetes mellitus.
Cosar
Murat
M
Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Canakkale 18 March University, Canakkale, Turkey. drcosar@hotmail.com
Songur
Ahmet
A
Sahin
Onder
O
Uz
Efkan
E
Yilmaz
Ramazan
R
Yagmurca
Murat
M
Ozen
Oguz Aslan
OA
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology*; D004032:Diet; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase