ABSTRACT
Background: Hypothalamus-pituitary- adrenal and sympathetic adreno-medullary axes are the systems mainly implicated in preserving body homeostasis during the stress and the adrenal gland is an important organ to both systems. Stress either subacute or chronic is usually linked with adrenal alterations. Omega-3 fatty acid (O3FAs) which is present in dietary fish oil is known to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases and cancer. Also omega-3 fatty acids were mentioned to be considered as anti-apoptotic and anti-oxidant agents.
Aim of the work: Evaluation of the role of Omega-3 supplementation on adrenal cortical cells during exposure to stress.
Materials and Methods: 3 groups of adult male albino rats were used (10 rats each): group 1 (control), group 2 (stressed for 6 weeks) and group 3 (stressed + Omega -3-treated; 300 mg/kg Omega-3 plus once daily 5 days/week for 6 weeks). Then the rats were sacrificed and the adrenal glands were extracted and processed for light, electron microscopic, immunohistochemical and morphometric studies.
Results: group II revealed signs of degeneration in adrenal cortical cells; disturbed arrangement, pyknotic nuclei, vacuolated cytoplasm and destructed organelles. There was reduction in ZF thickness with weak immunoexpression of Bcl-2. Omega-3 induced relative improvement of adrenal cortex in group III. This was evidenced by light, electron microscope and confirmed by morphometric and statistical results.
Conclusion: Omega-3 FA supplementation influences sensitivity to stress and has strong anti-stress effects.