Ameliorative effects of docosahexaenoic acid on serum lipid changes in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats

It has been shown that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has numerous physiological actions. However, the precise mechanism of these actions is still obscure, and DHA is not yet regarded as a drug. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the effects of long-term administration of DHA on the serum lipid concentrations in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SPSHR). SPSHR was selected because serum lipid derangement is one of the primary risk factors in the development and maintenance of hypertension. DHA-treated SPSHR showed significantly lower blood pressure when compared with that of non-treated SPSHR; total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein and lipid peroxide levels were significantly decreased in DHA-treated SPSHR. On the other hand, the high density lipoprotein concentrations tended to increase in DHA-treated SPSHR when compared with those in non-treated SPSHR. These findings suggest that long-term administration of DHA has a protective effect against serum lipid derangement in SPSHR. This DHA-induced amelioration of serum lipid changes in SPSHR might be associated with mechanisms involving the antihypertensive action induced by DHA.