Effect Of N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids To Combat Chronic Intestinal Radiation Injury

Objective: Study on the effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids to chro-nic intestinal radiation injury in rats, with a view to effective prevention and treatment methods of chronic radiation enteritis.Methods: 1. The rats of experimental control, experimental group were radiated right thoracic with 7MeV electron rays at a dose of 10Gy. The so- urce-to-skin distance was 100cm, and the field was 5.5cm×5.5cm.2. 40 healthy male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (A-D). The rats of group A was fed fish oil in one week before the radiation; The rats of group B was fed fish oil in one week both before and after the radiation. The rats of group C only received radiation, fed ordinary diet; The rats of group C was blank control.3. After 8 weeks all rats accepted laparotomy, were taken blood samples and small intestine samples. The pathological changes of the intestinal wall were observed by biopsy; Plasma of rats in each group was measured IL-1, IL-6, TNF-αand endotoxin levels.Results: 1. Biopsy results showed that pathological changes in rat intestinal wall of group A are significantly better than Group B and C, and group C is the worst.2. IL-1, IL-6, TNF-αand endotoxin levels in plasma of group A were significantly lower than the group C (all PAC<0.01), and were significantly lower than the group B too(all PAB<0.01). IL-1 and endotoxin levels in plasma of group B were significantly lower than the group C (PBC<0.01); IL-6 levels in plasma of group B were lower than the group C (PBC <0.05); TNF-αlevels in plasma were no significant difference between group B and group C (PBC> 0.05).Conclusions:1. Feeding n-3PUFA Before irradiation play a prevention role of chronic intestinal radiation injury. Pathological changes in intestine significantly improved and the rat plasma TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6 and endotoxin levels decreased significantly. The degree of chronic intestinal changes was to reduce.2. Gastrointestinal feeding n-3PUFA during period of acute inflammation will increase the inflammatory process, and Likely to cause death in rats.