Jenkins DJA, Vuksan V, Kendall CWC, Wursch P, Jeffcoat R, Waing S, Mehling CC, Vidgen E, Augustin LSA, Wong E. Physiological effects of resistant starches
on fecal bulk, short chain fatty
acids,
blood lipids and glycaemic index.
The therapeutic dotential of dietary precursor modulation by a fish - oil - supplemented diet (n - 3 fatty
acids), such as eicosapentaenoic
acid (C20: 5,n - 3) and docosahexaenoic
acid (C22: 6,n - 3) in the therapy of ulcerative colitis has been shown to result in a 35 % to 50 % decrease in neutrophil production of LTB4.28 Significant improvement in symptoms and histologic appearance of the rectal mucosa has been observed in several small series of patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis given fish oil at 3 to 4 g daily for 2 to 6 months in uncontrolled studies.29 However, a larger, randomized, double - blind trial comprising 96 patients with ulcerative colitis failed to reveal any benefit in remission maintenance or treatment of relapse
on 4.5 g of eicosapentaenoic
acid daily, despite a significant reduction in LTB4 synthesis by
blood peripheral polymorphonuclear cells.30 It should be emphasized, however, that the anti-inflammatory actions of the fish oils, in addition to inhibition of LTB4, include suppression of IL - 1 and platelet activating factor synthesis and scavenging of free oxygen radicals.30 The impact of increased
lipid peroxidation after fish oil supplementation should be considered when altering the n - 6: n - 3 fatty
acid ratio.31 Antioxidant supplementation may be able to counteract the potentially adverse effects of n - 3 fatty
acids.