By the scientific direction of NBF-LANES with the advice of Professor. Francesco Visioli, University Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris (From LeBlanc et al., Am J Vet Res 2008; 69: 486-493)
Supplementation with Omega 3 reduces the production of inflammatory factors in healthy dogs. The effects could be more visible in patients with inflammatory-based diseases.
This work has set the aim to evaluate, in healthy dogs, the effects of diets enriched in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) the production, in vivo, of inflammatory markers. In particular, have been taken into consideration as interleukin (IL) -1 and IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (tumor necrosis factor, TNF-alpha, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and the platelet-activating factor (platelet activating factor, PAF).
For this, they used 15 healthy dogs (hounds, with a variable weight between 9.5 and 12.3 Kg) to which was given an isocaloric diet which was added sunflower oil (n = 5), fish oil (n = 5) or fish oil + vitamin E (n = 5). The experimental diets contained 7 grams of omega-3 fatty acids per kilogram of diet. This diet was maintained for 12 weeks. At the end of the supplementation, the production of mediators of inflammation was evaluated in the serum of dogs at various times, up to 6 hours, after stimulation with intravenous lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
The activity or concentration (evaluated as area under the curve) of IL-1, IL-6, and PGE2, has increased significantly in all groups after LPS injection. However, this increase was lower in dogs treated with fish oil compared to those treated with sunflower oil (Figure). Even the activities of TNF-alpha and PAF have been enhanced by LPS. In this case significant differences between the experimental groups have not been noticed.
From the methodological point of view this study is of particular importance, because the quantization of inflammation markers was made in blood after LPS injection. In this way, all the cells involved in the production of mediators (for example lymphocytes T and fibroblasts) can be assessed from the quantitative point of view. Most of the studies on the mechanisms of inflammation are, however, performed on distinct cell populations, making it impossible a comprehensive assessment of the patient’s response.
The conclusions that can be drawn from these data is that a diet enriched with fish oil (in particular with 1.75 g of EPA / kg of diet and 2.2 g of DHA / kg of diet – ratio n-6:n-3 of 3.4:1. These concentrations result in a consumption of 350 mg of omega-3 per kg of body weight is associated with significant reductions in serum level, the concentrations of PGE2 and of the activity of IL-1 and IL-6. Note that these results were obtained in healthy dogs: it is therefore possible that the anti-inflammatory effect of n-3 fatty acids is even more evident in dogs suffering from inflammatory basis diseases.
Silky activity of IL-1 in dogs (n = 5 for each group) which were administered isocaloric diets supplemented with sunflower oil (blacks lozenges) or with fish oil (white diamonds) or fish oil + vitamin E ( white triangles). The time 0 denotes the instant prior to the injection of LPS. Different letters denote significant differences (p <0.05). Data are average ± SEM. From LeBlanc et al., Am J Vet Res 2008; 69: 486/493.
