The clinical effects of dietary supplementation with n-3 fatty acids in bronchial asthma compared with n-6 fatty acids.

N-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, have been reported to have some beneficial effects in patients with bronchial asthma by suppressing leukocyte function, followed by reduction of the need for pharmacologic agents. To examine the effects of dietary supplementation with perilla seed oil rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA), 23 patients with　asthma took corn oil rich in linoleic acid (LA) for the former two weeks, perilla seed oil for the later two weeks. The asthmatic patients were classified into two groups by the changes of the generation of leukotrienes B4 (LTB4), C4 (LTC4), and B5 (LTB5) during the two courses of dietary modification: one was sensitive to dietary modification, and the other was insensitive to dietary supplementation. We compared the two groups in clinical characteristics. Significant differences were observed in peak flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1.0), IgE, sex, obesity index (OI), concentration of serum total cholesterol, albumin, low density lipoprotein {LDL)-cholesterol, β-lipoprotein and phospholipids between two groups. This study indicated that these factors influence the generation of LTB4, C4 and B5 of asthmatic patients in dietary supplementation.

気道への炎症性白血球の集合が気管支喘息の病態に関わっている。魚油などのn-3系脂肪酸が白血球の機能を抑制することにより気管支喘息患者に良好な効果をもたらし,薬剤の必要性を減じたとの報告がなされている｡α-リレノン酸を豊富に含有するエゴマ油食の効果を調べるため,気管支喘息患者23名に2コースの食事-リノール酸の豊富なコーン油食を2週間摂取後,エゴマ油食を2週間-を摂取してもらった｡喘息患者は2コースの食事間のロイコトリエンB4(LTB4),CA(LTC4),B5(LTB5)の変化から2群-1群は食事に対し感受性のある群,もう1つは感受性の無い群-に分類した｡我々はこの2群を臨床的に検討したところ,ピークフロー(PEF),1秒量(FEV10),IgE,性別,肥満率(OⅠ),血清総コレステロール,アルブミン,低比重リポ蛋白(LDL)-コレステロール,β-リポ蛋白,リン脂質において2群間に有意差が認められた｡今回の研究から,これらの因子が,喘息患者において,LTB4,LTC4,LTB5の産生に対する食事療法の効果に影響を及ぼしていることが示唆された｡