Inflammation and oxidative stress play a key role in the pathophysiology of advanced chronic\nliver disease (ACLD) and portal hypertension (PH). Considering the current lack of effective treatments,\nwe evaluated an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant nutraceutical rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)\nas a possible therapy for ACLD. We investigated the effects of two-week DHA supplementation\n(500 mg/kg) on hepatic fatty acids, PH, oxidative stress, inflammation, and hepatic stellate cell\n(HSC) phenotype in rats with ACLD. Additionally, the effects of DHA were evaluated in murine\nmacrophages and human HSC. In contrast to vehicle-treated animals, cirrhotic rats receiving DHA\nreestablished a healthy hepatic fatty acid profile, which was associated with an improvement in PH.\nThe mechanisms underlying this hemodynamic improvement included a reduction in oxidative stress\nand inflammation, as well as a marked HSC deactivation, confirmed in human HSC. Experiments\nwith cultured macrophages showed that treatment with DHA protects against pro-inflammatory\ninsults. The present preclinical study demonstrates that a nutraceutical rich in DHA significantly\nimproves PH in chronic liver disease mainly by suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress-driven\nHSC activation, encouraging its evaluation as a new treatment for PH and cirrhosis.
Loading....