Physiological activities of the combination of fish oil and α-lipoic acid affecting hepatic lipogenesis and parameters related to oxidative stress in rats.
OBJECTIVE
We studied the combined effect of fish oil and α-lipoic acid on hepatic lipogenesis and fatty acid oxidation and parameters of oxidative stress in rats fed lipogenic diets high in sucrose. A control diet contained a saturated fat (palm oil) that gives high rate of hepatic lipogenesis.


METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed diets supplemented with 0 or 2.5 g/kg α-lipoic acid and containing 0, 20, or 100 g/kg fish oil, for 21 days.


RESULTS
α-Lipoic acid significantly reduced food intake during 0-8 days but not the later period of the experiment. Fish oil and α-lipoic acid decreased serum lipid concentrations and their combination further decreased the parameters in an additive fashion. The combination of fish oil and α-lipoic acid decreased the activity and mRNA levels of hepatic lipogenic enzymes in an additive fashion. Fish oil increased the parameters of hepatic fatty acid oxidation enzymes. α-Lipoic acid appeared to antagonize the stimulating effects of fish oil of fatty acid oxidation through reductions in the activity of some fatty acid oxidation enzymes. α-Lipoic acid attenuated fish oil-dependent increases in serum and liver malondialdehyde levels, and this compound also reduced the serum 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine level. α-Lipoic acid affected various parameters related to the antioxidant system; fish oil also affected some of the parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of fish oil and α-lipoic acid effectively reduced serum lipid levels through the additive down-regulation of hepatic lipogenesis. α-Lipoic acid was effective in attenuating fish oil-mediated oxidative stress.
Department of Food and Nutrition, Faculty of Human Life, Jumonji University, 2-1-28 Sugasawa, Niiza, Saitama, 352-8510, Japan. t-ide@jumonji-u.ac.jp.
Takashi
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3969-0956
T
Ide
D000818:Animals; D005227:Fatty Acids; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050155:Lipogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010938:Plant Oils; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
D005227:Fatty Acids; D005395:Fish Oils; D010938:Plant Oils; D008063:Thioctic Acid
Antioxidant system; Fish oil; Hepatic lipogenesis; α-Lipoic acid