Effect of Unsaturated Fatty Acid Supplements upon Mortality and Clotting Parameters in Rats Fed Thrombogenic Diets

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Abstract
The adhesiveness property of blood platelets has been implicated in the development of thrombosis; therefore, platelet adhesiveness and other clotting parameters were studied in rats receiving the Thomas-Hartroft diet as such and as modified by supplementation with unsaturated fatty acids. Rats receiving the Thomas-Hartroft thrombogenic diet for 4 months were found to have decreased platelet adhesiveness, thromboplastin generation and platelet count. Since platelet adhesiveness is reported to increase in coronary-prone individuals, the thrombogenic diet studied does not appear to produce changes characteristic of the thrombotic tendency in man. The mortality of rats receiving the Thomas-Hartroft diet was reduced by supplementation of the diet with concentrates of linolenic, linoleic or oleic acid. However, the decreased platelet adhesiveness could be prevented by linolenic or linoleic acid, but not by oleic acid; thrombocytopenia was prevented by supplementation of the diet with linolenic acid, but linoleic and oleic acids afforded only partial protection; the decrease in thromboplastin generation could be significantly reversed only by linoleic acid. Thus, although mortality could be reduced by all 3 unsaturated fatty acids, changes in the clotting parameters studied were not necessarily affected by these treatments; and therefore, it is unlikely that these clotting parameters are involved in either the increased mortality induced by these diets or its reversal.