Abstract
Twenty college women were led experimental diet which composed ot basal diet plus different kinds of dietary rats at 27% Cal. Equal amount of 13.5g of corn oil, perilla oil or fish oil was supplied for 2 weeks as a source of n6 linoleic acid(LA). n3 $\alpha$-linolenic acid (LL). or n3 EPA + DHA. respectively. Plasma total Chol level was reduced by perilla and fish oils, significantly only by fish oil. Plasma Chol level was rather increased by corn oil(P<0.05), but was decreased by double amount of corn oil supplement. Therefore, hypocholesterolemic effect of fatty acids was in the order of n3 EPA+DHA>n3 LL>n6 LA and influenced by the degree of fat unsaturation. Plasma TG level was also significantly decreased by n3 EPA+ DHA and increased by n6 LA. Hypotriglyceridemic effect of fatty acids was also in the order of n3 EPA + DHA> n3 LL>n6 LA and influenced by the unsaturation. However, the reduction of plasma TG was more influenced by the fatty acid structure rather than the fat unsaturation. There were no significant effects on lipoprotein pattern 3nd chemical compositions of lipoprotein by different dietary PUFAs. but fish oil diet significantly increased the relative proportion of HDL-Chol. In conclusion. cholesterol- lowering effect of dietary PUFAS seemed to be a function of total fat unsaturation but hypotriglyceridemic effect seemed to be more linked to the ratty acid structure rather than the degree of unsaturation. The hypolipidemic effect of n3 PUFAs was significant so that fish oil or perilla oil may have important nutritional applications in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic disease.