α-Linolenic Acid-Enriched Diet Prevents Myocardial Damage and Expands Longevity in Cardiomyopathic Hamsters

Abstract

Randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that the increased intake of -3 polyunsaturated fatty acids significantly reduces the risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease, but no investigations have been performed in hereditary cardiomyopathies with diffusely damaged myocardium. In the present study, ␦-sarcoglycan-null cardiomyopathic hamsters were fed from weaning to death with an ␣-linolenic acid (ALA)-enriched versus standard diet. Results demonstrated a great accumulation of ALA and eicosapentaenoic acid and an increased eicosapentaenoic/arachidonic acid ratio in cardiomyopathic hamster hearts, correlating with the preservation of myocardial structure and function. In fact, ALA administration preserved plasmalemma and mitochondrial membrane integrity, thus maintaining proper cell/extracellular matrix contacts and signaling, as well as a normal gene expression profile (myosin heavy chain isoforms, atrial natriuretic peptide, transforming growth factor-␤1) and a limited extension of fibrotic areas within ALA-fed cardiomyopathic hearts. Consequently, hemodynamic indexes were safeguarded, and more than 60% of ALA-fed animals were still alive (mean survival time, 293 ؎ 141.8 days) when all those fed with standard diet were deceased (mean survival time, 175.9 ؎ 56 days). Therefore, the clinically evident beneficial effects of -3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are mainly related to preservation of myocardium structure and function and the attenuation of myocardial fibrosis. (Am J Pathol

Effect of omega-3 on brain natriuretic peptide and echocardiographic findings in heart failure: Double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial

“…7,18 Fiaccavento et al noted that omega-3 PUFA prolonged survival and inhibited myocardial pathologies in hamsters with cardiomyopathy. 10 To our knowledge no studies have been done to evaluate the effect of omega-3 supplementation on echocardiographic parameters in CHF patients. We investigated the effect of 2 g/day of omega-3 on echocardiographic parameters in patients with class II or III heart failure due to ischemic causes.…”

An Omega-3 Fatty Acid-Enriched Diet Prevents Skeletal Muscle Lesions in a Hamster Model of Dystrophy

“…20 -24 The present investigation has shown that an ALA-enriched diet i) precludes myocyte and muscular tissue damage in ␦-SG-null dystrophic hamsters, and ii) modulates satellite cells proliferation promoting myogenic differentiation. The skeletal muscle damage, similarly to hereditary cardiomyopathy, 13,20,[21][22][23][24] is prevented by modifying plasmalemma biophysical properties and membrane signaling to the intracellular compartment.…”

Identification of the components of the essential oil from Trollius europaeus flowers

“…This compound belongs to the group of omega-3 fatty acids, commonly occurring in flaxseed, canola oil, soybeans, and walnut oils (Simopoulos 2004;Gruenwald et al 2004). Oils rich in a-linolenic acid are used to prevent and treat heart diseases, an elevated level of cholesterol and triglycerides in blood, and hypertension (Fiaccavento et al 2006;Brouwer et al 2004). 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acidphthalic acid was identified in fresh, white and red Panax ginseng Abd El-Aty et al (2008), as well as in crude extracts of Alpinia galanga (L.) Willd (Rao et al 2010).…”