Fish oil: a potent inhibitor of platelet adhesiveness [see comments]
XL Li and M Steiner
Division of Hematology/Oncology, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island 02860.
The effect of fish oil administration on platelet function was studied in
eight normal individuals, four men and four women, who received fish oil
equivalent to 6 g eicosapentaenoic acid per day for a period of 25 days.
Platelet aggregation, platelet adhesion, phospholipid and fatty acid
distribution were measured at periodic intervals before, during, and after
the period of fish oil administration. Platelet aggregation induced by
arachidonic acid, adenosine diphosphate, and collagen showed a moderate
increase in ED 50 in response to the administration of fish oil.
Conversely, platelet adhesion to fibrinogen and collagen I, which was
studied at low shear rates in a laminar flow chamber, showed a striking 60%
to 65% decrease after fish oil supplementation of the diet. The change in
adhesiveness could be correlated with the pseudopodia formed in response to
agonistic stimulation. Scanning electron microscopic examination of
adherent platelets showed an overall reduction of pseudopodia that appeared
short and stubby on fish oil administration. The profile of the fatty acids
extracted from plasma confirmed compliance of the volunteers with their
dietary supplements. Analysis of phospholipids showed changes in
sphingomyelin, lysophosphatidylcholine, and phosphatidylcholine between
pseudopodia and platelet cell bodies. Fish oil administration did not
affect their overall distribution except for a moderate decrease in
phosphatidylethanolamine in platelet pseudopodia. Changes were also
recognized in the total fatty acids extracted from platelets, affecting
primarily arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic
acid. There were no changes in platelet adhesiveness in a group of five
normal individuals who received a vegetable oil supplement of equal dose
and duration as that of the fish oil. We conclude from these studies that
fish oil, at least when administered over a limited period of time, is an
effective inhibitor of platelet adhesiveness.
Volume 76,
Issue 5,
pp. 938-945,
09/01/1990
Copyright © 1990 by The American Society of Hematology
