Anti-inflammatory effect of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in children with bronchial asthma; relation to nuclea factor-kappa b (nf-kb)‎ and inflammatory cytokines il-12 and il-13

Abstract EN

Asthma is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases of the airways.

We aimed to investigate the potential antiinflammatory role of omega-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFA) supplementation in children with bronchial asthma in relation to the pulmonary functions, NF-кB and cytokines (IL-12 and IL-13).

Asthmatic children (110 subjects) were divided into two groups : group A (60) supplemented with fish oil capsules containing 300 mg docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and 700 mg eicosapentaenoic (EPA) in a dose of one capsule per day for one month, and group B (50 subjects) received placebo capsules for one month.

Plasma level of DHA, NF-кB, IL-12, IL-13 and pulmonary functions were compared between both groups before and after supplementation.

The results showed that plasma DHA was increased with decrease of NF-кB, IL- 12, IL-13, and improvement of forced vital capacity of the lungs in the supplemented group.

There was a significant difference between supplemented and placebo group.

Plasma DHA level was positively correlated to pulmonary function tests and negatively correlated to NF-кB, IL-12 and IL-13.

These results suggest that ω-3 PUFA supplementation is useful for treatment of asthma due to suppression of NF-кB with subsequent decreasing production of inflammatory cytokines and improvement of pulmonary functions.