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Research: Why fish oils help and how they could help even more

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-10/qmuo-wfo102609.php

Why fish oils help and how they could help even more

New research from Queen Mary, University of London and Harvard Medical
School has revealed precisely why taking fish oils can help with
conditions like rheumatoid arthritis.

In a paper published in Nature today*, researchers describe how the
body converts an ingredient found in fish oils into another chemical
called Resolvin D2 and how this chemical reduces the inflammation that
leads to a variety of diseases.

The research also suggests that Resolvin D2 could be the basis for a
new treatment for diseases including sepsis, stroke and arthritis.
Unlike other anti-inflammatory drugs, this chemical does not seem to
suppress the immune system.

The researchers, who were funded by the Arthritis Research Campaign,
the Wellcome Trust and the National Institutes of Health, looked at a
particular ingredient of fish oils called DHA. They were able to show
how the body converts DHA into Resolvin D2 and discover its exact
chemical structure.

Mauro Perretti, Professor of Immunopharmacology at Queen Mary,
University of London, led the UK team. He said: "We have known for
some time that fish oils can help with conditions like arthritis which
are linked to inflammation. What we've shown here is how the body
processes a particular ingredient of fish oils into Resolvin D2. We've
also looked in detail at this chemical, determining at least some of
the ways it relieves inflammation. It seems to be a very powerful
chemical and a small amount can have a large effect."

"This research is important because it explains at least one way in
which fish oils can help in different types of arthritis. We can also
work on this chemical and see if it can be used not only to treat or
even prevent arthritis, but also as a possible treatment for a variety
of other diseases associated with inflammation."

Arthritis, and many other diseases, are caused by inflammation. This
means that the body's natural defences against infections are
mistakenly directed at healthy tissue.

Previous research has shown that a crucial step in this process occurs
when white blood cells, called leukocytes, stick to the inner lining
of the blood vessels, called the endothelium.

Researchers studied these blood cells and how they interact with the
endothelium in the lab. When they added Resolvin D2 they found that
the endothelial cells produced small amounts of nitric oxide, which
acts as a chemical signal discouraging the white blood cells from
sticking to the endothelial cells and preventing inflammation.

--
Luke

Fish oil can act as a "blood thinner" so if you are at risk for
bleeding, consult your doctor.

An open access article from 2006 re fish oil "Fish oil: what the
prescriber needs to know"
http://arthritis-research.com/content/8/1/202

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