Abstract
Docosahexaenoic acid (22 : 6ω3, DHA), a major polyunsaturated fatty acid of fish oils, is found in retina, sperm, heart of land animals, as the major fatty acid component in phospholipids. DHA is probably essential for the functional development of nervous system including retina. DHA is reported to modulate arachidonic acid metabolism, and to have anti-inflammatory effects. It is also reported that DHA has many other effects such as depression of platelet aggregation, augmentation of the efficacy of anti-cancer drugs, prevention of arrhythmia and reduction of serum cholesterol. Consequently, DHA administration is expected to be useful for various diseases.
