Abstract

LEITE, Luísa R.M. et al. The influence of dietary nucleotides and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on the incorporation of [³H] arachidonic acid on experimental liver cirrhosis. ALAN [online]. 2000, vol.50, n.3, pp.257-264. ISSN 0004-0622.

The purposes of this study were to determine: a) the incorporation of labeled   arachidonic acid on the intestinal mucosa, the liver and plasma, after 1, 3 and 5 hours of administration, b)preferential incorporation by different tissues, c) and the effects on experimental rats with thioacetamide-induced cirrhosis, after four weeks of a dietary supplementation with nucleotides and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. 209 female Wistar rats were divided into two groups (control and TAA group). The TAA group was given 300 mg of thioacetamide/L, in their drinking water for four months. After this period, a sample of 6 rats were taken from each group and examined, to evaluate the biochemical and histological changes of the experimental model, and 36 rats were taken to determine the incorporation of radioactivity by the groups. The rest of the animals were divided into four subgroups. Each group, receiving a supplementary diet with only long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and/or nucleotides or neither, for 4 weeks. After four months of thioacetamide, the incorporation of the     arachidonic acid showed: a) an increased within 3 h in the intestinal mucosa, b) a decreased in the liver after 3 lo 5 h c) and a drastic decrease in the plasma after 3 to 5 h. With a dietary supplementation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and nucleotides combined, there was a decrease of accumulate    arachidonic acid in the intestine and a increase in the liver and plasma. The simultaneous supply of dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids and nucleotides was beneficial in the reversal of abnormalities of the lipid metabolism, in this experimental model of liver cirrhosis.

Keywords : Arachidonic acid; cirrhosis; liver; nucleotides polyunsaturated fatty acids; thioacetamide.