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PubMed2002

[Study of the marker for a neuronavigation system].

UNLABELLED: With different ratios, Omnipague mixed with cod liver oil and Meglumine Diatrizoate mixed with cod liver oil are compared with the stardard marker under the scanning of CT and MR in order to find the better ratio and materials for the marker. The experimental results show that the performances of both Omnipague mixed with cod liver oil and Meglumine Diatrizoate mixed with cod liver oil are better than the stardard marker. CONCLUSION: Omnipague mixed with cod liver oil and Meglumine Diatrizoate mixed with cod liver oil can be used in making marker for neuronavigation system.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed2000

Dietary n-3 fatty acids, curcumin and capsaicin lower the release of lysosomal enzymes and eicosanoids in rat peritoneal macrophages.

Male Wistar rats (12 rats/group) were fed a diet containing 8 wt % coconut oil or groundnut oil or cod-liver oil for a total period of 8 weeks. The diets were also supplemented with 2 wt % groundnut oil for providing essential fatty acids. During the last 2 weeks, 6 rats form each group were additionally given curcumin (30 mg/kg body wt/day) or capsaicin (5 mg/kg body wt/day) in 1 ml groundnut oil. The peritoneal macrophages from rats fed cod-liver oil diet secreted lower levels of lysosomal enzymes collagenase, elastase and hyaluronidase as compared to those from rats fed coconut oil or groundnut oil diets. Curcumin and capsaicin significantly lowered the secretion of these lysosomal enzymes from macrophages in animals given coconut oil or groundnut oil diet. Macrophages from rats fed cod-liver oil secreted lower amounts of prostaglandin E2, 6-keto PGF1alpha, leukotrienes B4 and C4 and also incorporated lesser amounts of [3H]-arachidonic acid as compared to those given coconut oil or groundnut oil diets. Curcumin and capsaicin lowered the secretion of these eicosanoids and decreased the incorporation of [3H]-arachidonic acid in macrophage lipids. However curcumin and capsaicin significantly increased the secretion of 6-keto PGF1alpha in all the groups of animals. These studies indicated that dietary cod-liver oil (rich in n-3 fatty acids), and spice principles curcumin and capsaicin can lower the secretory functions of macrophages in a beneficial manner.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Role of capsaicin, curcumin and dietary n-3 fatty acids in lowering the generation of reactive oxygen species in rat peritoneal macrophages.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by activated macrophages play an important role in the initiation of inflammation. Ten different spice principles, some of which with known anti-inflammatory properties, were tested for their effect on generation of superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide and nitrite radical generation by activated rat peritoneal macrophages. Preincubation of macrophages with 10 microM capsaicin (from red pepper) or 10 microM curcumin (from turmeric) completely inhibited the superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide and nitrite radical production in vitro by macrophages. Higher concentrations (500 microM) of eugenol (from clove) and piperine (from pepper) were required to completely inhibit superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide release by macrophages. Capsaicin and curcumin were then fed to rats which were on a diet containing 8 wt% of coconut oil or olive oil or peanut oil or cod liver oil for 8 weeks, by gavage for 2 weeks. The peritoneal macrophages isolated from these animals produced lower levels of ROS compared to the macrophages from the control groups fed with the oil alone. Macrophages from cod liver oil fed animals generated lower levels of superoxide anions (76%), hydrogen peroxide (70%) and nitrite radicals (88%) compared to those isolated from coconut oil fed animals. Peanut oil and olive oil feeding also lowered the extent of ROS generation in macrophages compared to those from coconut oil fed animals. Capsaicin and curcumin feeding further lowered the generation and release of ROS. It is concluded that capsaicin or curcumin in combination with dietary fatty acids differentially lowers the production of ROS in macrophages.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Fat diet, osmotic fragility of erythrocytes and inotropic response of rat heart papillary muscle to noradrenaline stimulation: early appearance of the diet effect by lovastatin.

Intake of lovastatin, an inhibitor of endogenous cholesterol synthesis, leads to a compensatory increase in the uptake of cholesterol from plasma (low density lipoprotein endocytosis). The drug might exert effects also by facilitating uptake of fatty acids carried in low density lipoprotein. It has been reported that dietary fat may alter physical properties of erythrocytes as well as adrenergic effects in heart muscle. We have therefore studied osmotic fragility of erythrocytes and inotropic and lusitropic responses of isolated heart papillary muscles taken from rats fed for 3 weeks either a purified high fat diet (olive oil/coconut oil 16 g/6 g/100 g diet), prepared plus and minus lovastatin, or similar diets in which 4 g/100 g diet of the olive oil was replaced by cod liver oil. Three weeks feeding of a high fat diet containing cod liver oil did not affect osmotic fragility of erythrocytes or indices of inotropy or lusitropy in papillary muscles in response to noradrenaline stimulation neither in the absence nor in the presence of lovastatin. In contrast, purified high fat diet lacking cod liver oil increased osmotic fragility in a fraction of the erythrocytes. When lovastatin was added to this diet the osmotic fragility was increased for the whole population of erythrocytes. In this situation the "relaxation-onset index"--an index of early relaxation in the papillary muscles--was shifted to higher concentrations of noradrenaline. Thus, intake of lovastatin may lead to an early appearance of effects of dietary fat on osmotic fragility of erythrocytes and on heart muscle responses to catecholamines. These effects of lovastatin are, however, apparently dependent upon the kind of dietary fat as they are prevented by the presence of cod liver oil.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Studies on anti-inflammatory activity of spice principles and dietary n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on carrageenan-induced inflammation in rats.

The antioxidant spice principles curcumin and eugenol when given by gavage lowered the carrageenan-induced edema in the foot pads of rats. This lowering effect was dependent on the concentration, the time gap between the administration of spice principles and the induction of inflammation by carrageenan. Dietary lipids also influenced the extent of inflammation. Animals fed 10% cod liver oil [containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)] for 10 weeks showed a significantly lower inflammation compared to that observed in animals fed diets supplemented with 10% groundnut oil (rich in n-6 PUFA) or 10% coconut oil (rich in medium-chain saturated fatty acids). Supplementation of diets with 1 weight% of curcumin did not affect the inflammatory responses of animals to carrageenan injection. However, supplementation of diets with 0.17 weight% eugenol further lowered inflammation by 16, 32 and 30% in animals fed coconut oil, groundnut oil and cod liver oil, respectively. Therefore, combinations of dietary lipids with spice principles like eugenol can help in lowering inflammation.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2000

Long-term feeding of dietary oils alters lipid metabolism, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant enzyme activities in a teleost (Anabas testudineus Bloch).

Anabas testudineus (climbing perch), average body weight 21+/-1 g, were maintained in culture tanks and fed a 35% protein feed plus an additional supplementation of three dietary oils (20% each of coconut oil, palm oil, or cod liver oil). Body weight gain was similar among all groups. However, several hepatic lipogenic enzymes such as malic enzyme (ME), NADP-isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH), glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGDH) and beta-hydroxy-1-methyl glutaryl CoA reductase (HMG CoA reductase) were assayed, and they responded differently. Hepatic ME and G6PDH activities showed a significant decrease in the coconut oil and palm oil groups, but there was no significant change in ICDH activity. The 6PGDH activities were reduced, whereas HMG CoA reductase activity was increased in the palm oil-treated group. Cholesterol synthesis in the liver and muscle increased in the palm oil-treated group, but liver phospholipids did not show any significant change in fish supplemented with oils rich in saturated fatty acids. Triacylglycerol and free fatty acid concentrations were high in the coconut oil- and palm oil-supplemented groups. Lipid peroxidation products such as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and conjugated dienes decreased in the same two groups. Antioxidant potential was high in all groups as evidenced by increased activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione content. The results of this study indicate that in fish, dietary lipids depress hepatic lipogenic activity as well as lipid peroxidation products by maintaining high levels of antioxidant enzymes.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Nutritional supplements as adjunctive therapy for children with chronic/recurrent sinusitis: pilot research.

OBJECTIVE: Inflammation and edema of the sinonasal mucosa are important in the pathophysiology of sinusitis. Based on the similarities between otitis media (OM) and sinusitis, and our previous research on OM, we hypothesized that nutritional supplements would be effective adjunctive therapy for the treatment of children with chronic/recurrent sinusitis. METHODS: We performed a 4 month, open-label, dose-titration study; subjects were enrolled from late January to early March 2003. Each subject served as his own control. Study supplements were a lemon-flavored cod liver oil and a children's multivitamin-mineral with selenium, prescribed in escalating doses; at higher doses, fish oil was substituted for cod liver oil. Subjects were private pediatric otolaryngology outpatients with a clinical diagnosis of chronic/recurrent sinusitis, whose symptoms were refractory to treatment with antibiotics. RESULTS: Our four subjects were Caucasian males, ranging in age from 4.2 to 9.8 years, with chronic/recurrent sinusitis for at least 3 years prior to entry in the study. Three subjects had a positive response; one subject dropped out for administrative reasons. Four, six, and eight weeks after beginning study supplements, the responders had decreased sinus symptoms, fewer episodes of acute sinusitis, and fewer doctor visits for acute illnesses. Their parents reported that they had begun to recover from upper respiratory illnesses without complications, which was unusual for these children, as was improvement in springtime; their improvement had previously been limited to the summer months or periods of home-schooling. CONCLUSIONS: Use of flavored cod liver oil and a multivitamin-mineral with selenium as adjunctive therapy for children with chronic/recurrent sinusitis is an inexpensive, non-invasive intervention that clinicians can use for selected patients, pending the performance of definitive, large, well-controlled studies.

Child↗
PubMed2004

Vitamin D status in a rural population of northern Norway with high fish liver consumption.

OBJECTIVE: To assess vitamin D status and the impact of three fish meals consisting of cod liver and fresh cod-liver oil on the plasma level of vitamin D metabolites in an area with high consumption of cod liver and cod-liver oil. DESIGN: Experimental field study. METHODS: Thirty-two volunteers from the Skjervøy (70 degrees N) municipality in northern Norway were recruited to consume three traditional mølje meals, consisting of cod, cod liver, fresh cod-liver oil and hard roe, in one week. The liver and fresh cod-liver oil consumed by the participants were weighed and recorded. Blood samples were collected before the first meal, and subsequently 12 h and 4 days after the last meal. The blood samples were analysed for the vitamin D metabolites 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D). All participants answered a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire, which was used to estimate usual daily nutrient intake. The study was carried out in the last part of March 2001. RESULTS: The median daily vitamin D intake estimated from the questionnaire was 9.9 microg. The proportion of subjects with baseline 25(OH)D level below 50 nmol l(-1) was 15.4% and none were below 37.5 nmol l(-1). Only "mølje consumption" and "time spent in daylight" were significantly associated with baseline log 25(OH)D. The mean total intake of vitamin D in the three servings was 272 microg (standard deviation 94 microg), ranging from 142 to 434 microg. Relative to baseline plasma concentration, the mean level of 25(OH)D decreased slightly in both post-consumption samples (P< or =0.03), while 1,25(OH)2D peaked 12 h after the final meal (P=0.03). CONCLUSION: Three mølje meals provided, on average, an amount of vitamin D equal to 54 times the recommended daily dose. Subjects with food consumption habits that included frequent mølje meals during the winter sustained satisfactory vitamin D levels in their blood, in spite of the long "vitamin D winter" (i.e. absence of ultraviolet-induced vitamin D production in the skin).

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Dietary fish oil intake: effects on glomerular prostanoid formation, hemodynamics, and proteinuria in nephrotoxic serum nephritis.

Dietary fish oil intake improves glomerular pathology and proteinuria in murine models of autoimmune disease. We evaluated glomerular prostanoid formation, glomerular hemodynamics, and proteinuria in rats with nephrotoxic serum nephritis (NSN) to test whether this beneficial effect of marine lipids also applies to other animal models of glomerular immune injury. Rats were fed diets (8 weeks) containing either cod liver oil or sunflower oil. NSN was induced with a rabbit anti-rat glomerular basement membrane antiserum. Antibody injection significantly stimulated glomerular thromboxane B2 (TxB2) formation in animals fed cod liver oil and sunflower oil at 2 hours, 24 hours, and 7 days. TxB2 production in glomeruli of sunflower oil rats, however, was five to seven times higher when compared with that in rats fed cod liver oil. The dietary regimen led to a significant decrease of glomerular TxB2 and prostaglandin E2 formation in the animals receiving cod liver oil when compared with those fed sunflower oil. Induction of NSN resulted in a significant fall of inulin clearance (Cin) and paraaminohippurate clearance at 2 hours, 24 hours, and 7 days in both groups. The decrease in Cin at 2 hours was greater in rats fed cod liver oil when compared with animals receiving sunflower oil (p less than 0.02); it was not different, however, at 24 hours and 7 days. Animals with NSN developed proteinuria. There was no difference in protein excretion between rats fed cod liver oil or those fed sunflower oil (days 2 and 7).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Development of a low-cost technology for mass production of the free-living nematode Panagrellus redivivus as an alternative live food for first feeding fish larvae.

The free-living nematode Panagrellus redivivus is a suitable food source for first feeding fish. In the present report, a new method for the mass production of P. redivivus is presented. The technique involves multiplication of the nematode in monoxenic (single microorganism: Saccharomyces cerevisiae) solid culture (fluid media supported by 1- to 4-cm(3) sponge cubes) in autoclavable plastic bags (size range: 50 x 30 cm to 75 x 67 cm). Two growing media were tested: oat-meal medium (OM), which is an oat-based medium (16.7% oat-meal flour in 0.8% saline solution), and purified ingredient medium (PIM), a semi-synthetic medium (1.64% meat peptone, 0.94% yeast extract, 12.6% corn starch, 0.24% glucose, 1.48% sunflower oil, in 0.8% saline solution). The bags were inoculated with 350 nematodes/g medium. After an average period of 12 days (11-13 days) at 25 degrees C, the average yield (number of nematodes/g medium) was 241 x 10(3) for OM and 333 x 10(3) for PIM in 12-l bags (50 x 30 cm). The production scale has currently reached a bag volume of 50 l (75 x 67 cm); using PIM and the conditions described above, it was possible to harvest more than 1.3 x 10(9) nematodes/bag (291 x 10(3) nematodes/g medium). In PIM, when sun flower oil was replaced with the same amount of fish oil or cod liver oil, yields of 259 x 10(3) and 290 x 10(3) nematodes/g medium, respectively, were attained. The technology for mass production and formulation of P. redivivus should enable fish-hatchery operators to rely on a cheap, standardised, and permanently available live food product for first feeding fish larvae.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Effect of varying the type of fat in a semi-purified AIN-76A diet on cellular proliferation in the mammary gland and intestinal crypts in female Swiss Webster mice.

Young virgin female Swiss Webster mice were fed AIN-76A semi-purified diets containing equal weights of different fats for approximately 30 days. Using [3H]thymidine radioautography, it was established that mice fed 100% lard or high levels of fish oils (menhaden oil or cod liver oil) developed elevated cellular proliferation in the duct cells of the mammary gland and an increased number of labeled cells/crypt in the crypts of the colo-rectum accompanied by an increase in the size of the proliferative compartment. A possible inverse correlation between the level of [3H]thymidine labeling in the mammary gland, but not in the colo-rectum, and the linoleic acid content of individual diets may help to explain the significance of these observations. The effect of adding an antioxidant mixture to these diets was to reduce the excess proliferation induced in the intestinal crypts by lard or fish oil to the level induced by soybean oil, but only partially so in the duct cells of the mammary gland.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Effects of dietary n-3, n-6 and n-9 polyunsaturated fatty acids on benzo(a)pyrene-induced forestomach tumorigenesis in C57BL6J mice.

The modulating effect of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on benzo(a)pyrene-induced forestomach tumorigenesis was assayed in mice fed with corn oil (CO), olein (O), Zizyphus mistol seed oil (MO), cod liver oil (CLO), and mixed fat (Stock diet). The fatty acid composition of liver lipids correlated well with the fatty acid composition of each diet. Only mice fed the O diet showed biochemical and clinical evidences of essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD). Only 3 animals developed well-differentiated invading squamous cell carcinomas in the O group. The papilloma incidence was reduced in MO and CLO with respect to the O group. Forestomach papillomatosis was increased in mice fed an n-9 enriched diet in comparison to stock and CO groups. In comparison with stock mice, the frequency of multiple epidermoidal hyperplasia (MEH) was significantly decreased in the CLO group. Animals fed n-3 enriched diets (MO and CLO) showed significant antipromoting effect. These findings indicate that dietary fat can modulate tumorigenesis initiated in mouse forestomach by benzo(a)pyrene. In addition, the lack of action of an n-6 fatty acid-enriched diet in our experimental model suggests that the effect of PUFAs on tumorigenesis has target-tissue specificity. Mistol seed oil might be of potential value as a natural vegetable antipromoter nutrient.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Coregulation of adrenoceptors and the lipid environment in heart muscle during repeated adrenergic stimulation.

The purpose of this study was to examine changes in binding properties of alpha 1-adrenoceptors, beta-adrenoceptors and L-Ca channels in rat heart muscle in relation to changes in the lipid environment within the membrane, i.e. fatty acyl chain composition of membrane phospholipids, occurring during repeated adrenergic stimulation. The effect of daily administration of epinephrine for seven days upon the maximum number of binding sites of adrenoceptors and upon the fatty acyl chain composition of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine was examined in 10 months old rats. Decrease in Bmax of adrenoceptors during repeated adrenergic stimulation coincided with remodeling of the membrane phospholipids, with replacement of 18:2n-6 by 20:4n-6 in phosphatidylcholine and by 22:6n-3 in phosphatidylethanolamine, respectively. The effect of repeated adrenergic stimulation was also examined in rats fed different dietary fats and oils, i.e. butter, corn oil or cod liver oil, in hearts with markedly different levels of 18:2n-6, 20:4n-6 and 22:6n-3. The binding properties of the adrenoceptors and L-Ca channels did not relate to the fatty acyl chain composition of bulk phospholipids, but the epinephrine induced decrease in Bmax of the receptors was always accompanied by replacement of 18:2n-6 by 20:4n-6 in phosphatidylcholine and by 22:6n-3 in phosphatidylethanolamine, regardless of the initial level of these fatty acyl chains in the phospholipids. It is concluded that adaption to repeated adrenergic stimulation may include coregulation of the lipid environment within the membrane and the binding properties of adrenoceptors, and possibly other functionally coupled proteins such as L-Ca channels, residing in the membrane.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Relationship between high consumption of marine fatty acids in early pregnancy and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether there is a relationship between maternal intake of cod-liver oil in early and late pregnancy and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. DESIGN: An observational prospective study. SETTING: Free-living conditions in a community with traditional fish and cod-liver oil consumption. POPULATION: Four hundred and eighty-eight low-risk pregnant Icelandic women. METHODS: Maternal use of cod-liver oil, foods and other supplements was estimated with a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire covering food intake together with lifestyle factors for the previous 3 months. Questionnaires were filled out twice, between 11 and 15 weeks of gestation and between 34 and 37 weeks of gestation. Supplements related to hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, i.e. gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia, were presented, with logistic regression controlling for potential confounding. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, cod-liver oil and multivitamins. RESULTS: The odds ratio for developing hypertensive disorders in pregnancy for women consuming liquid cod-liver oil was 4.7 (95% CI 1.8-12.6, P= 0.002), after adjusting for confounding factors. By dividing the amount of n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) into centiles, the odds ratio for hypertensive disorders across groups for n-3 LCPUFA suggested a u-shaped curve (P = 0.008). Similar results were found for gestational hypertension alone. Further, the use of multivitamin supplements without vitamins A and D in late pregnancy doubled the odds of hypertensive disorders (OR 2.4, 95% CI 1.0-5.4, P= 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of high doses of n-3 LCPUFA in early pregnancy, or other nutrients found in liquid cod-liver oil, may increase the risk of developing hypertensive disorders in pregnancy.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Maternal supplementation with very-long-chain n-3 fatty acids during pregnancy and lactation augments children's IQ at 4 years of age.

OBJECTIVES: Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6 n-3) and arachidonic acid (AA; 20:4 n-6) are important for development of the central nervous system in mammals. There is a growth spurt in the human brain during the last trimester of pregnancy and the first postnatal months, with a large increase in the cerebral content of AA and DHA. The fetus and the newborn infant depend on maternal supply of DHA and AA. Our hypothesis was that maternal intake of DHA during pregnancy and lactation is marginal and that high intake of this fatty acid would benefit the child. We examined the effect of supplementing pregnant and lactating women with very-long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs; cod liver oil) on mental development of the children, compared with maternal supplementation with long-chain n-6 PUFAs (corn oil). METHODS: The study was randomized and double-blinded. Pregnant women were recruited in week 18 of pregnancy to take 10 mL of cod liver oil or corn oil until 3 months after delivery. The cod liver oil contained 1183 mg/10 mL DHA, 803 mg/10 mL eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5 n-3), and a total of 2494 mg/10 mL summation operator n-3 PUFAs. The corn oil contained 4747 mg/10 mL linoleic acid (18:2 n-6) and 92 mg/10 mL alpha-linolenic acid (18:3 n-3). The amount of fat-soluble vitamins was identical in the 2 oils (117 micro g/mL vitamin A, 1 micro g/mL vitamin D, and 1.4 mg/mL dl-alpha-tocopherol). A total of 590 pregnant women were recruited to the study, and 341 mothers took part in the study until giving birth. All infants of these women were scheduled for assessment of cognitive function at 6 and 9 months of age, and 262 complied with the request. As part of the protocol, 135 subjects from this population were invited for intelligence testing with the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children (K-ABC) at 4 years of age. Of the 135 invited children, 90 came for assessment. Six children did not complete the examination. The K-ABC is a measure of intelligence and achievement designed for children aged 2.5 years through 12.5 years. This multisubtest battery comprises 4 scales: Sequential Processing, Simultaneous Processing, Achievement (not used in the present study), and Nonverbal Abilities. The Sequential Processing and Simultaneous Processing scales are hypothesized to reflect the child's style of problem solving and information processing. Scores from these 2 scales are combined to form a Mental Processing Composite, which serves as the measure of intelligence in the K-ABC. RESULTS: We received dietary information from 76 infants (41 in the cod liver oil group and 35 in the corn oil group), documenting that all of them were breastfed at 3 months of age. Children who were born to mothers who had taken cod liver oil (n = 48) during pregnancy and lactation scored higher on the Mental Processing Composite of the K-ABC at 4 years of age as compared with children whose mothers had taken corn oil (n = 36; 106.4 [7.4] vs 102.3 [11.3]). The Mental Processing Composite score correlated significantly with head circumference at birth (r = 0.23), but no relation was found with birth weight or gestational length. The children's mental processing scores at 4 years of age correlated significantly with maternal intake of DHA and eicosapentaenoic acid during pregnancy. In a multiple regression model, maternal intake of DHA during pregnancy was the only variable of statistical significance for the children's mental processing scores at 4 years of age. CONCLUSION: Maternal intake of very-long-chain n-3 PUFAs during pregnancy and lactation may be favorable for later mental development of children.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed1997

Platelet-derived thromboxane A2 decreases microvascular perfusion after arterial repair.

Previous work suggests that cod liver oil helps to protect the microcirculation from the consequence of thromboembolic events. The possibility that altered synthesis of thromboxane A2 accounts for the protective effects seen with cod liver oil was investigated in the present study. This was done using the combined thromboxane A2 synthetase inhibitor and thromboxane A2-prostaglandin H2 receptor blocker R68070 (Ridogrel). A standardized microvascular injury was inflicted on the right iliac artery of the rat to generate emboli. The downstream cremaster muscle was used to visualize the passage of the ensuing emboli and to assess the effects of this arterial injury on capillary perfusion and arteriole diameters. The number of visible emboli was not changed by either cod liver oil diet or Ridogrel administration. However, capillary perfusion was preserved by using cod liver oil (n = 7) and was significantly increased by using Ridogrel (n = 7) in comparison with untreated controls (n = 7) in which capillary perfusion was decreased because of the emboli. The administration of Ridogrel to cod liver oil-treated animals (n = 7) provided no additive benefit. The percentage change in A-2 vessel diameters in cod liver oil-treated (n = 7) animals was no different from the control group (n = 7). Ridogrel (n = 7), on the other hand, produced a significant increase in A-3 vessel (n = 21) diameters, but its effects were comparatively less in the cod liver oil-treated animals (n = 7). The formation of platelet aggregates (emboli) appears relatively independent of thromboxane A2 in the rat. Ridogrel is very effective in protecting the microcirculation, and these effects appear to be mediated by A-3 vasodilatation, which, therefore, is at least partially thromboxane A2-dependent. The positive effects of cod liver oil may be mediated by a mechanism that reduces thromboxane A2 synthesis, but further studies are necessary.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Effect of various marine lipids on transdermal drug delivery--in vitro evaluation.

The effects of several marine lipids on the penetration of hydrocortisone and nitroglycerin through excised hairless mouse skin have been studied. Fatty acid extracts obtained by hydrolysis of Portuguese dog-fish-liver-oil or by hydrolysis of cod-liver-oil were shown to be effective skin penetration enhancers. Phospholipid obtained from squid was also shown to be effective enhancer. However, the enhancing effect of the marine products could generally be associated with their content of free unsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acid extract obtained from cod-liver-oil caused insignificant skin irritation when incorporated into an ointment base and applied to human skin.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed2002

Can vitamin D supplementation reduce the risk of fracture in the elderly? A randomized controlled trial.

Randomized controlled trials have shown that a combination of vitamin D and calcium can prevent fragility fractures in the elderly. Whether this effect is attributed to the combination of vitamin D and calcium or to one of these nutrients alone is not known. We studied if an intervention with 10 microg of vitamin D3 per day could prevent hip fracture and other osteoporotic fractures in a double-blinded randomized controlled trial. Residents from 51 nursing homes were allocated randomly to receive 5 ml of ordinary cod liver oil (n = 569) or 5 ml of cod liver oil where vitamin D was removed (n = 575). During the study period of 2 years, fractures and deaths were registered, and the principal analysis was performed on the intention-to-treat basis. Biochemical markers were measured at baseline and after 1 year in a subsample. Forty-seven persons in the control group and 50 persons in the vitamin D group suffered a hip fracture. The corresponding figures for all nonvertebral fractures were 76 persons (control group) and 69 persons (vitamin D group). There was no difference in the incidence of hip fracture (p = 0.66, log-rank test), or in the incidence of all nonvertebral fractures (p = 0.60, log-rank test) in the vitamin D group compared with the control group. Compared with the control group, persons in the vitamin D group increased their serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration with 22 nmol/liter (p = 0.001). In conclusion, we found that an intervention with 10 microg of vitamin D3 alone produced no fracture-preventing effect in a nursing home population of frail elderly people.

Aged↗