title: Protective effect of omega-3 fatty acids in a rat focal cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate possible neuroprotective effects of dietary supplementation of fish oil in brain ischemia-reperfusion (I/R).
  
  
  METHODS
  This investigation took place in the Experimental Research Unit, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey, from January-February 2006. The study was carried out on 12 male Wistar rats; divided into 2 groups: I/R (control) and I/R + omega-3 essential fatty acids (EFA) (experiment). The rats in the I/R group received only ordinary rat food before middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. The I/R + omega-3 EFA group received omega-3 fatty acid daily via intragastric gavage (300 mg/kg Marincap capsule) with normal food before MCA occlusion for 30 days. Structural alterations in the brain tissues were semi-quantitatively analyzed (0: absent, +: slight, ++: moderate, +++: severe).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was evident severe (+++) edema, vacuolization, and eosinophilic degeneration in the I/R group, while only slight (+) edema and eosinophilic degeneration in the I/R + omega-3 EFA group in which no vacuolization was determined. These findings are consistent with the available studies in this field.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results from this study indicate the beneficial effects of omega-3 EFA supplementation in prevention of I/R - induced damage in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Firat University, 23119 Elazig, Turkey. Tel. +90 (424) 2370000. Ext. 4626. Fax. +90 (424) 2379138. E-mail: kavaklia@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kavakli
authors.forename: Evren
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kose
authors.forename: Ilter
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kus
authors.forename: Ismail
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zararsiz
authors.forename: Nusret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akpolat
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sarsilmaz