[Diet containing fish oil as protection against ethanol-induced lesions of the gastric mucosa in rats].

Effect of dietary fish oil obtained from Sardinops Sagax malanosticta on ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions was studied in female Wistar rats with initial weight of 90-100 g. During three weeks, the untreated control group was fed with the basic diet containing 6% butter as a lipid component, while two test groups received olive oil or fish oil 0.2 ml/rat/day) in addition to the basic diet. In the control group, intragastric administration of 1 ml of ethanol (96 degrees) caused acute gross gastric mucosal damage (edema, vascular engorgement, and hemorrhagic erosions) in 14 of 16 rats. Supplement of olive oil decreased the number of rats with ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions in the group, but did not reduce the ratio of damaged area to the total area of the stomach. In contrast, rats receiving dietary fish oil showed a decrease in both the incidence and extent of mucosal lesions. It has been suggested that the protective effect of dietary fish oil on the gastric mucosa is due to a high content of eicosapentaenoic acid.