Improving Recovery Process of Omega-3 Fatty Acids from a Native Species of Chlorella vulgaris Using Integrated Method

Methylmercury and omega-3 fatty acids: Co-occurrence of dietary sources with emphasis on fish and shellfish

Omega-3 fatty acids represent essential nutrients for animals and humans. The most common plant-derived precursor for the bioactive long-chain omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). ALA is the only omega-3 fatty acid available in vegetable oils that are produced in substantial volumes. However, conversion of ALA to EPA and DHA is inefficient in humans due to a metabolic bottleneck represented by the Δ6-desaturase enzyme that converts ALA to stearidonic acid (SDA), the first intermediate in the metabolic pathway that converts ALA to EPA and DHA. SDA is present in small amounts in the oil of some herbs such as borage oil or hemp oil; however, these oils are not available in large quantities. Compared to the main vegetable oils that contain ALA, a more efficient source for long-chain omega-3 fatty acids is provided by marine cold water fish that contain substantial amounts of EPA and DHA in membrane and storage lipids. These fish do not have the metabolic capacity to synthesize omega-3 fatty acids from central intermediates of their metabolism themselves. Instead they acquire EPA and DHA through their food chain that is founded on marine algae as primary producers. Unfortunately the human consumption of fish is limited by an increasingly finite supply of marine stocks, by encumbrance of some marine fish with environmental toxins, and by dietary preferences in the Western cultures that tend to avoid fish as food source. This chapter reviews the discovery and relevance of omega-3 fatty acids as an essential human nutrient, the limitations of the marine ecosystem in providing the bioactive omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in sufficient quantities for human consumption, and the development of SDA soybeans that are soybeans with substantially improved omega-3 profile. SDA soybeans contain 20 % of their total fatty acids as SDA. As such, they represent a much more efficient source of omega-3 fatty acids than traditional vegetable oils that contain ALA only. SDA soybean oil has been shown to perform similar as conventional soybean when incorporated into human foods. In contrast to specialty oils, production of SDA soybean oil is more economical and can easily be ramped up to produce large quantities. In contrast to marine omega-3 sources SDA soybean oil is free of environmental toxins and not tied to the volume limitations of the marine ecosystem. This positions SDA soybean oil as an environmentally friendly sustainable source of essential omega-3 fatty acids for the increasing demand of a growing human population.

Objective To compare the effectiveness of ω-3 fatty acids and middle/light fatty acids in the intervention of rats model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.Methods Totally 120 rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: normal saline (NS) group,bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis without treatment group ( BLM group),middle/light fatty acids group,ω-3 fatty acids group.Lung tissues were obtained on the 7th,14th,and 21st day after modeling.The left lung were measured by using immunohistochemical methods for transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) and interferon garmma ( IFN-γ).The lower lobe of the right lung underwent HE staining.Serum TGF-β1,IFN-γ,and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were measured using double-antibody sandwich ELISA.Results The pulmonary alveolitis and fibrosis in the ω-3 fatty acids group was significantly milder than in middle/light fatty acids group and BLM group.On the 7th,14th,and 21st day after modeling,stronger TGF-β1 protein expression was detected in the bronehiolar epithelia of middle/light fatty acids group and BLM group and poorer IFN-γexpression in both groups.However,the opposite results were found in the ω-3 fatty acids group: on the 7th,14th,and 21st day after modeling,TGF-β1 protein expression ( 13.60 ± 5.90,10.53 ± 4.21,and 7.23 ± 2.21 )was lower ( P =0.047) and IFN-γ ( 13.85 ± 7.48,15.32 ± 2.12,and 18.74 ± 2.65 ) was stronger in ω-3 fatty acids group (P =0.041).On the 7 ,14,and 21st day after modeling,the serum IL-4 levels in the middle/light fatty acids group and BLM group became significantly higher,while the IFN-γ level in both groups was significantly lower than in ω-3 fatty acids group ( P =0.008 ) ; meanwhile,in the ω-3 fatty acids group,the serum IL-4 levels [ (8.73 ± 1.20),(5.73 ±2.03),and (4.98 ± 1.89) pg/ml] were significantly lower (P =0.044) and serum IFN-γlevels [ (5.67 ± 0.13 ),( 6.58 ± 0.64 ),and ( 7.05 ± 0.52 ) pg/ml ] were significantly higher ( P =0.048 ) on the 72,14th,and 21st day after modeling.Conclusions ω-3 fatty acids can lower TGF-β1 protein expression in rat lung tissue and reduce the surum TGF-β1 and IL-4 levels.Compared with the middle/light fatty acids,it can more effectively upregulate the expression of IFN-γ in lung tissue and increase its serum level,and thus alleviate pulmonary fibrosis in rats. Key words: Pulmonary fibrosis; Middle/light fatty acids; ω-3 fatty acids; Interferon garmma; Transforming growth factor β1; Interleukin-4

Omega-3 (ω3) fatty acids, particularly eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), protect against cardiovascular disease. Despite these benefits, concern remains that ω3 fatty acids may increase lipid peroxidation. It has previously been shown that urinary F2-isoprostanes (F2-IsoPs) were reduced following ω3 fatty acid supplementation in humans. It is now determined whether EPA or DHA supplementation affects plasma F2-IsoPs. In two 6-week placebo-controlled interventions, Study A: overweight, dyslipidaemic men; and Study B: treated-hypertensive Type 2 diabetic, patients were randomized to 4 g daily EPA, DHA. Post-intervention plasma F2-IsoPs were significantly reduced by EPA (24% in Study A, 19% in Study B) and by DHA (14% in Study A, 23% in Study B) relative to the olive oil group. The fall in plasma F2-IsoPs was not altered in analyses that corrected for changes in plasma arachidonic acid, which was reduced with EPA and DHA supplementation. Neither F3- nor F4-IsoPs were observed in plasma in both studies. These results show that in humans, EPA and DHA reduce in vivo oxidant stress as measured in human plasma and urine.

Microalgae as a novel, non-animal source of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D Charlotte Jacobsen and Emil Gundersen from the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark emphasize the need for new plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D3, highlighting microalgae as a promising option and discussing the challenges in harnessing it. As the world population continues to expand, so will the global demand for feed and food production. To be consistent with planetary boundaries, this future production must be mainly plant-based. However, transitioning to a mainly plant-based diet poses certain nutritional challenges. The lack of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D in plants is one of them. These compounds have important health benefits related to brain and bone development, and their absence in our diet can have serious health consequences. Our primary dietary sources of these nutrients are fish and seafood products, chicken eggs, and animal-based oil supplements. This calls for a need to explore and develop new, non-animal sources. One alternative could be microalgae.

Objective To observe the effect of Ulinastain combined with ω-3 fatty acids on the patients with severe acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury.Methods Sixty-four patients with severe acute pancreatitis were radomly divided into two groups:control group(32 cases) and therapeutic group (32 cases).Control group were treated with conventional treatment,while therapeutic group were treated with Ulinastain and ω-3 fatty acids on the basis of conventional treatment.The arterial blood gas and pulmonary function of patients were analyzed to compare with the difference in curative effect of the two groups.Results Therapeutic effects of Ulinastain group were better than that of control group,and arterial blood gas and pulmonary function in therapeutic group were obviously better than that in other group (P ＜ 0.05 ).Conclusions Ulinastain and ω-3 fatty acids can improve the therapeutic effects on the patients with severe acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury. Key words: Ulinastain; ω-3 fatty acids ; Severe acute pancreatitis ; Lung injury

BackgroundChia (Salvia hispanica L.) is known as power house of omega fatty acids which has great health benefits. It contains up to 78% linolenic acid (ω-3) and 18% linoleic acid (ω-6), which could be a great source of omega-3 fatty acids for functional foods. Therefore, in this study, margarines were prepared with supplementation of different concentrations of chia oil to enhance omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidant characteristics and oxidative stability of the product.MethodsMargarines were formulated from non-hydrogenated palm oil, palm kernel and butter. Margarines were supplemented with 5, 10, 15 and 20% chia oil (T1, T2, T3 and T4), respectively. Margarine without any addition of chia oil was kept as control. Margarine samples were stored at 5 °C for a period of 90 days. Physico-chemical (fat, moisture, refractive index, melting point, solid fat index, fatty acids profile, total phenolic contents, DPPH free radical scavenging activity, free fatty acids and peroxide value) and sensory characteristics were studied at the interval of 45 days.ResultsThe melting point of T1, T2, T3 and T4 developed in current investigation were 34.2, 33.8, 33.1 and 32.5 °C, respectively. The solid fat index of control, T1, T2, T3 and T4 were 47.21, 22.71, 20.33, 18.12 and 16.58%, respectively. The α-linolenic acid contents in T1, T2, T3 and T4 were found 2.92, 5.85, 9.22, 12.29%, respectively. The concentration of eicosanoic acid in T2, T3 and T4 was 1.82, 3.52, 6.43 and 9.81%, respectively. The content of docosahexanoic acid in T2, T3 and T4 was present 1.26, 2.64, 3.49 and 5.19%, respectively. The omega-3 fatty acids were not detected in the control sample. Total phenolic contents of control, T1, T2, T3 and T4 samples were 0.27, 2.22, 4.15, 7.23 and 11.42 mg GAE/mL, respectively. DPPH free radical scavenging activity for control, T1, T2, T3 and T4 was noted 65.8, 5.37, 17.82, 24.95, 45.42 and 62.8%, respectively. Chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, quercetin, phenolic glycoside k and phenolic glycoside Q in T3 were present 0.78, 0.73, 1.82, 4.12 and 4.49 mg/mL, respectively. After 90 days of storage period, free fatty acids and peroxide value of all the treatments were less than 0.2 (% and MeqO2/kg). Sensory characteristics of treatments were not different from the control.ConclusionMargarines supplemented with chia oil showed enhanced level of omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidant characteristics. These results suggest that chia oil can be used for formulation of margarine with increased level of omega-3 fatty acids and acceptable sensory characteristics.

Background:Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the most serious cause of mortality in developed and developing countries. Epidemiological studies indicated that dyslipidemia is the major risk factor of CVD. Dyslipidemia can be modified either by proper lifestyle or medical intervention or by the combination of both. Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) and ω3 fatty acids have beneficial effects on plasma lipids and lipoproteins. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of CLA and omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3 fatty acids) supplementation on lipid profile in atherosclerosis patient.Materials and Methods:This study was a 2-month clinical randomized trial. Ninety atherosclerotic patients with angiographically diagnosed coronary atherosclerosis who were referred to Emam Reza Heart Clinic of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences from February to march 2011 were selected if they fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The participants were randomly classified into 3 groups receiving 3 g/d CLA or 1 920 mg/d ω3 or placebo for 2 months. High-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and total cholesterol were measured before and after the intervention. This study was a two-month clinical randomized trial.Results:Data were analyzed using SPSS software (SPSS Inc, Chicago, version19). Although CLA did not appear to have a significant effect on TG, ω3 supplementation significantly reduced TG level. Consumption of CLA and ω3 supplementation did not significantly affect HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and total cholesterol.Conclusions:ω3 supplementation significantly reduced TG level but CLA and ω3 did not show significant changes in other indices of lipid profile in atherosclerotic patients.

Feeding preterm infants a formula containing C 20 and C 22 fatty acids simulates plasma phospholipid fatty acid composition of infants fed human milk

Direct saponification of wet microalgae by methanolic potassium hydroxide using acetone as co-solvent

Tissue Omega-6/Omega-3 Fatty Acid Ratio and Risk for Coronary Artery Disease

Background: Nutraceuticals are in high demand as dietary supplements on the international market since decades. Nutritional and therapeutic supplements called nutraceuticals are widely accessible. Alpha linolenic acid (ALA), fibre, proteins, and vital omega-3 fatty acids are all present in high concentrations in flaxseed, one of the oldest and most widely utilised food supplements. The present work was aimed to formulate and develop flaxseed oil beads containing omega fatty acids as a replacement supplement for marine source. Flaxseed oil beads were formulated by ionic gelation method. Minitab 21.1.0 was used to screen and optimise the process and formulation parameters. Plackett Burman design was used for the initial screening. Twelve batches were made ready for screening, and each batch was evaluated for optimization based on the percentage of drug release and the percentage of drug encapsulation efficiency. RSM was used to carry out the optimization. After optimization and validation, the batches showed the satisfactory results complying with IP specifications.
 Results: Twelve batches were formulated and evaluated for percentage encapsulation efficiency and percentage drug release. The formulated batches F4, F6 and F10 shown the optimal results.
 Conclusion: Polyunsaturated fatty acids found in the flaxseed oil were confirmed with hexabromide test. Several nutritional advantages of the extracted flaxseed oil's omega fatty acid were incorporated in beads utilising the ionic gelation process.
 Keywords: Nutraceutical, Flaxseed, Beads, QbD, Omega fatty acid, Alpha linolenic acid.

Over the past 100 years, changes in the food supply in Western nations have resulted in alterations in dietary fatty acid consumption, leading to a dramatic increase in the ratio of omega-6 (omega6) to omega3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in circulation and in tissues. Increased omega6/omega3 ratios are hypothesized to increase inflammatory mediator production, leading to higher incidence of inflammatory diseases, and may impact inflammatory gene expression. To determine the effect of reducing the omega6/omega3 ratio on expression of inflammatory pathway genes in mononuclear cells, healthy humans were placed on a controlled diet for 1 week, then given fish oil and borage oil for an additional 4 weeks. Serum and neutrophil fatty acid composition and ex vivo leukotriene B(4) production from stimulated neutrophils were measured at the start and end of the supplementation period and after a 2-week washout. RNA was isolated from mononuclear cells and expression of PI3K, Akt, NFkappaB, and inflammatory cytokines was measured by real-time PCR. A marked increase was seen in serum and neutrophil levels of long-chain omega3 PUFA concomitant with a reduction in the omega6/omega3 PUFA ratio (40%). The ex vivo capacity of stimulated neutrophils to produce leukotriene B(4) was decreased by 31%. Expression of PI3Kalpha and PI3Kgamma and the quantity of PI3Kalpha protein in mononuclear cells was reduced after supplementation, as was the expression of several proinflammatory cytokines. These data reveal that PUFA may exert their clinical effects via their capacity to regulate the expression of signal transduction genes and genes for proinflammatory cytokines.

Influence of omega-3 fatty acids on bovine luteal cell plasma membrane dynamics

Context: Eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and docosapentaenoic acid are the significant members of the ω-3 fatty acid group. Their beneficial pharmacological effects open new paths for therapeutics. Aims: To provide an updated overview of the source, chemical features, pharmacological effects, dosage forms, and patents of omega-3 fatty acids and analyze the limitations in visualizing them as an active drug for treatment. Methods: PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Springer Link, Google Patent, and Espacenet were used for the systematic search for articles from 2011–2023. Specific keywords were used for the search. For the screening process, articles related to the topic with full text in English were chosen. Two independent researchers analyzed, extracted, and summarized relevant data in Excel for data presentation. Results: 196 references were chosen for this review. In summary, lipid mediators from omega-3 fatty acids were found to exert anti-inflammatory functions, modulate signal transactions, regulate gene expression, and work as anti-microbial agents. These functions positively impact the cardiovascular, immune, metabolic, nerve, and optic systems. Despite abundant benefits, most products related to n-3 fatty acids were concentrated on utilizing as adjuvants and supplements. The source-related issues, complex extraction methods, oxidative instability, cost, side effects of formulations, complicated patent processes, and lenient regulation for supplements have been viewed as the reasons. Conclusions: Omega-3 fatty acids are a safe choice as a therapeutic drug for elderly patients, pregnant women, and children with disorders. Microbial production, low-energy formulation, and the use of natural emulsifiers can resolve the obstacles in this pathway.