Abstract
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), precursor of prostaglandin-3 family and arachidonic acid (AA), precursor of prostaglandin-2 family were measured in 28 persons who lived in coast areas (Choshi city, Katsuura city) and 31 persons living in a farm village (Hiratamura village) by gas chromatography. Plasma EPA/AA ratio was higher in the persons who lived in the coast areas than in the persons living in the farm village. And, according to our study on dietary habits, the persons who lived in the coast areas fed on more fish than the persons living in the farm village.
Then, plasma EPA/AA ratios after experimental feeding on sardine were measured in 8 persons who lived in a city (Ota-ku, Tokyo). Plasma EPA/AA ratios were elevated by feeding them on sardine. These findings showed that dietary habits of taking fish could elevate plasma EPA/AA ratios in Japanese.
Dyerberg, J., et al. (1979) said that EPA could be converted by the vessel wall to an antiaggregatory substance which had no proaggregatory effect on platelets, so that the elevation of plasma EPA/AA ratio might prevent thrombotic diseases.
From this point of view, it was suggested that dietary habit, such as feeding on sardine, could contribute to the prevention of thrombotic diseases in Japanese.
