Effect on n-6, n-3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin A Levels on Serum Lipid Contents and Hepatic Tissues in Rats

n-6, n-3 지방산과 비타민 A 수준이 흰쥐의 혈청지질 농도 및 간조직에 미치는 영향

This study was carried out to observe the effects of dietary n-6, n-3 fatty acids and vitamin A levels on serum lipid contents and hepatic tissues in rats. Sixty eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed 6 different experimental diets for 6 weeks. The diets were composed of 10% of either corn oil or fish oil with three levels of vitamin A ; defient (1240IU/kg diet), adequate (4000IU/kg diet), excess(400,000IU/kg diet). It was observed that triglyceride content and lipoprotein ratio in serum were not affected by dietary fat types and vitamin A levels. However, total serum cholesterol contents were significantly lower in fish oil groups than in corn oil groups, which were not affected by vitamin A levels. Under light microscope, vitamin A excess groups showed pathological abnormalites, such as fatty change and inflammation of the hepatic tissues. There abnormalities were less severe in fish oil groups. These results suggested that fish oil could be a dietary factor lowering the serum lipid contents, and it seems to relieve the abnormal changes in liver induced by excess vitamin A.