Another school of thought assumes that the threat of nuclear war has radically
altered this traditional relationship, which was perennial only in
appearance but was in fact dependent upon certain ephemeral
factors no longer present today.
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.