Dietary cod liver oil decreases arachidonic acid in rat gastric mucosa and increases stress-induced gastric erosions

Long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid supplementation increases levels in red blood cells and reduces the prevalence and severity of squamous gastric ulcers in exercised Thoroughbreds

OBJECTIVE

To assess the relationship between plasma and RBC fatty acid composition and incidence and severity of squamous gastric ulcers when altered by short-chain (SC) or long-chain (LC) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) supplementation.

ANIMALS

13 fit Thoroughbred horses in training.

PROCEDURES

Horses were evaluated by gastroscopy for squamous ulcer score, gastric pH, and blood fatty acid composition prior to supplementation (UNSUPP) and after 3 months of supplementation with a corn-flax oil blend of alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid (SC-PUFA) or a gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)-fish oil blend of GLA, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; LC-PUFA) in a crossover design. Prior to gastroscopy and blood collection, horses performed a 4,600-m standardized exercise test on the racetrack as a stressor.

RESULTS

Three months of supplementation with LC-PUFAs increased RBC levels of GLA, dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA), arachidonic acid (AA), EPA, and DHA, and reduced severe ulcer prevalence (38% UNSUPP vs 8% LC-PUFA with a severe ulcer score of grade 3 to 4). Short-chain PUFA supplementation did not effectively elevate RBC GLA, DGLA, AA, EPA, or DHA and severe ulcer incidence was not different (38% UNSUPP vs 23% SC-PUFA with a severe ulcer score of grade 3 to 4). Lower levels of RBC GLA, DGLA, AA, and EPA correlated with severe squamous gastric ulceration (grade 3 to 4).

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Equine gastric ulcer syndrome is prevalent in high-performance horses and is a concern to owners and trainers. Long-chain PUFA supplementation increased levels of GLA, DGLA, AA, EPA, and DHA, unlike SC-PUFA supplementation, and was associated positively with prevention or resolution of severe squamous gastric ulceration. Further studies are needed to evaluate different management styles and exercise intensities.

Antiulcer activity of cod liver oil in rats

OBJECTIVE

Cod liver oil is used widely as a dietary supplement. The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of cod liver oil (0.5 g/kg, p.o. and 1 g/kg, p.o.) on gastric and duodenal ulcers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was carried out on different gastric ulcer models such as acetic acid induced chronic gastric ulcers, pylorus ligation, indomethacin induced ulcers, stress induced ulcers and ethanol induced ulcers. The duodenal ulcers were induced using cysteamine hydrochloride (HCl). Ranitidine (50 mg/kg p.o.) and misoprostol (100 microg/kg, p.o.) were used as standard drugs.

RESULTS

Both doses of cod liver oil showed gastric ulcer healing effect in acetic acid induced chronic gastric ulcers, produced gastric antisecretory effect in pylorus-ligated rats and also showed gastric cytoprotective effect in ethanol-induced and indomethacin-induced ulcer. Cod liver oil also produced a significant reduction in the development of stress induced gastric ulcers and cysteamine induced duodenal ulcer. The high dose of cod liver oil (1 g/kg, p.o.) was more effective compared to the low dose (0.5 g/kg, p.o.).

CONCLUSION

Cod liver oil increases healing of gastric ulcers and prevents the development of experimentally induced gastric and duodenal ulcers in rats.