Oil for Life to Balance omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ... - Oil4Life

This mixture is a potent constrictor of the bronchial air-way musculature. These leukotrienes
together with leukotriene B4, also cause vascular permeability and attraction and activation
of leukocytes and are important regulators in many diseases involving inflammatory or
immediate hypersensitivity reactions, such as asthma.
Leukotrienes are vasoactive and 5-lypoxigenase as been found in artherial walls.
Evidence supports a role for lipoxins in vasoactive and immunoregulatory function. (Murray
R.K. et al., 2003). Resolvin was discovered in vivo during the resolution phase of
inflammation in exudates from inflamed tissues in a mouse model. The main task of resolvin
E1 appears to be to serve as a counterregulator to proinflammatory mediators and turn down
acute inflammatory processes before too much damage is done to normal tissue (Arita M. et
al., 2005).
Isofurans are nonclassic eicosanoids formed nonenzymatically by free radical mediated
peroxidation of arachidonic acid. The isofurans are similar to the isoprostanes and are
formed under similar conditions, but contain a substituted tetrahydrofuran ring. The
concentration of oxygen affects this process; at elevated oxygen concentrations, the
formation of isofurans is favored whereas the formation of isoprostanes is disfavored
(Roberts L.J. et al., 2004). The isoprostanes are prostaglandin-like compounds formed in
vivo from the free radical-catalyzed peroxidation of essential fatty acids (primarily
arachidonic acid) without the direct action of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme. These
nonclassical eicosanoids possess potent biological activity as inflammatory mediators that
augment the perception of pain. These compounds are accurate markers of lipid peroxidation
in both animal and human models of oxidative stress (Evans A,R. et al., 2000). The
endogenous cannabinoid system is an ubiquitous lipid signalling system that appeared early
in evolution and which has important regulatory functions throughout the body in all
vertebrates. The main endocannabinoids (endogenous cannabis-like substances) are small
molecules derived from arachidonic acid, anandamide (arachidonoylethanolamide) and 2arachidonoylglycerol.
They bind to a family of G-protein-coupled receptors, of which the
cannabinoid CB1 receptor is densely distributed in areas of the brain related to motor
control, cognition, emotional responses, motivated behaviour and homeostasis. Outside the
brain, the endocannabinoid system is one of the crucial modulators of the autonomic nervous
system, the immune system and microcirculation (Rodriguez de Fonseca F. et al., 2005).
5. BIOMARKERS OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACID NUTRITIONAL STATUS
The association of dietary fats with diseases risk or outcome could be determined from
epidemiological studies and/or from food frequency questionnaires; however the FA
composition of the plasma lipids and the membranes of platelets and erythrocytes provides a
better assessment of the the dietary intake of the long-chain n-3 FAs (Bjerve K.S. et al.,
1993; Andersen L.F. et al., 1996; Innis S.M. et al., 1988, Brown A.J. et al., 1991). Other
investigators have utilized adipose tissue obtained by percutaneous biopsy, for which the
turnover time for FAs has been estimated to be 1–3 years; however it must be pointed out
that this procedure is not only invasive but also time consuming (Field C.J. et al., 1984).
Marckmann P. et al. (1995) found adipose tissue DHA and docosapentaenoic acid (C22:5,
DPA) levels to be much higher than that of EPA, although the food record estimates of
dietary EPA and DHA intakes were both considerably higher than that of DPA. The apparent
discrepancy may have resulted from the elongation of EPA to the less metabolically active
DPA. In this study, the DHA content of adipose tissue provided a better marker of fish and
marine n-3 FA intake than did EPA, a result that was also obtained by Tjønneland A. et al.
(1993).
Two other studies provided a comparison of data from food-frequency questionnaires, diet
records, and subcutaneous adipose tissue FA content in American postmenopausal women
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