Fish oil protects against indomethacin-induced gastric injury and adds indomethacin's anti-inflammatory action in the rat

Several clinical and pre-clinical studies have demonstrated the protective effect of supplementation of fish oil. However its mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated. The aims of this study were to examine the gastroprotective mechanism of fish oil and whether fish oil affects the anti-inflammatory effect of indomethacin. Fish oil prevented gastric lesions induced by indomethacin. Fish oil did not reverse the indomethacin-induced reduction of PGE₂ gastric levels. In contrast, fish oil partially prevented the indomethacin-induced increase in LTB₄ gastric levels. Finally, fish oil had an anti-inflammatory effect by itself and adds it to the anti-inflammatory effect of indomethacin. Our results suggest that a decrease in gastric LTB₄ levels is involved in the gastroprotective effect of fish oil against indomethacin-induced damage. Furthermore, the supplementation of fish oil adds its anti-inflammatory effect to indomethacin's.