title: Fatty acids in plasma, white and red blood cells, and tissues after oral or intravenous administration of fish oil in rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The importance of route of administration of omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (oral vs intravenous (iv)) is not clear. We determined the relative concentrations of fatty acids in plasma phosphatidylcholine (PC), red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC) and several tissues after short-term oral or iv administration of soybean oil (SO) or fish oil (FO).
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats (n = 6/group) received saline, FO, or SO by gavage or saline, FO based-lipid emulsion (FLE), or SO based-lipid emulsion (SLE) iv. The oils were provided at 0.2 g/kg/day for three consecutive days. The animals were sacrificed 24 h after the last administration, blood was collected for plasma, WBC and RBC separation and tissues removed. Fatty acids were analysed by gas chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FO resulted in higher eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in plasma PC and liver than the control. FLE resulted in higher EPA, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and total n-3 PUFA in plasma PC, WBC and liver than both the control and SLE groups. EPA, DHA and total n-3 PUFA were higher in the heart with FLE compared with SLE. Individual and total n-3 PUFA were higher in plasma PC, WBC, liver and heart with FLE than with FO given by gavage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-term iv administration of n-3 PUFA appears to be more effective at increasing EPA and DHA status in plasma, WBC, liver and heart than oral administration. This might be important for rapid treatment with n-3 PUFA.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil; Human Development and Health Academic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom. Electronic address: Karina.barros@unifesp.br.
authors.forename: Karina V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Patricia O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Cassulino
authors.forename: Iracema
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Annette L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Elizabeth A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Miles
authors.forename: Philip C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Calder
authors.forename: Vera L F
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Silveira
mesh_terms: D061605:Administration, Intravenous; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013024:Soybean Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D005395:Fish Oils; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D013024:Soybean Oil; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid
keywords: ARA; DHA; DPA; EPA; FA; FLE; FO; Lipid emulsion; PUFA; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; RBC; SLE; SO; WBC; arachidonic fatty acid; docosahexaenoic acid; docosapentaenoic acid; eicosapentaenoic acid; fatty acid; fish oil; fish oil based lipid emulsion; n-3 PUFA; n-6 PUFA; polyunsaturated fatty acid; red blood cell; soybean oil; soybean oil based lipid emulsion; white blood cell