A Pilot Study: Effects of Dietary Supplementation with α-Linolenic Acid-Enriched Perilla Seed Oil on Bronchial Asthma

• Published in: Allergology international Vol. 46; no. 3; pp. 181 - 185
• Main Authors: Ashida, Kozo, Mitsunobu, Fumihiro, Mifune, Takashi, Hosaki, Yasuhiro, Yokota, Satoshi, Tsugeno, Hirofumi, Tanizaki, Yoshiro, Tsuji, Takao
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: bronchial asthma; leukotriene B4; leukotriene C4; peak flow; perilla seed oil; bronchial asthma; peak flow; leukotriene C4; perilla seed oil; leukotriene B4
• ISSN: 1323-8930; 1440-1592
• DOI: 10.2332/allergolint.46.181

N-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, have been reported to have some beneficial effects in patients with bronchial asthma. The effects of dietary supplementation with perilla seed oil rich in a-linolenic acid (α-LNA), parent n-3 fatty acid, were studied in five patients with asthma. The symptoms of asthma and mean peak flow rates (PFR) both early in the morning and in the evening were improved 2 weeks after dietary supplementation and the increases in PFR were significant (P<0.05). The generation of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) by peripheral leukocytes stimulated with the Ca2+ ionophore A23187 was significantly suppressed from 77.6 to 41.6ng/5Xl06 cells by dietary supplementation (P<0.05). The generation of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) by leukocytes was also significantly suppressed from 64.0 to 38.8ng/5x106 cells after supplementation with perilla seed oil (P<0.05). These results suggest that dietary supplementation with perilla seed oil is beneficial for the treatment of asthma.