Leukotrienes, fish-oil, and asthma.

Abstract

Studies suggest that leukotrienes which have been metabolized from arachidonic acid released from membranes phospholipids during cell activation may play a significant role in a variety of inflammatory disorders including the pathophysiology of chronic allergic asthma. Two major types of polyunsaturated fatty acids prominent in marine fish oils are eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DCHA). These fish oils limit leukotriene synthesis and biological activities by substituting substrate fatty acids as alternatives to arachidonic acid. Both EPA and DCHA inhibit the conversion of arachidonic acid by the cyclooxygenase pathway to prostanoid metabolites and reduce the production of platelet-activating factor (PAF).