The role of N-6 and N-3 pufa ratios in the aetiology of multiple sclerosis

Abstract

In multiple sclerosis (MS) the myelin sheaths surrounding the axons in the brain are mainly affected by the disease process. Myelin consists for the most part of lipids and proteins. An abnormality in essential fatty acid metabolism is known to be present in patients with MS (Horrobin, 1979), reflected in a high ratio of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids in cell membranes. It has also been established previously that the pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders is aggravated by excessive consumption of n-6 fatty acids relative to n-3 fatty acids (Guesnet et al., 2005),and it has been shown that ingesting a larger proportion of n-3 fatty acids could be crucial in the regulation of cellular physiology and in the prevention of pathologies such as autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Modern Western medical treatment for autoimmune diseases, which includes MS, involves the administration of immunosuppressive drugs, such as beta interferon, cortisone (prednisone), methotrexate and cytoxan, which reduce the effectiveness of the entire Immune system, and can have serious, sometimes life threatening, side effec1s (Perlmutter, 2006, htlp:/Iwww.msfac1s.org). It would therefore be of interest to investigate other options for treatment

Although there is an extensive literature on fatly acids in MS, the actual details of the mechanisms of fatly add imbalances in MS have not been established. It would therefore be advisable to Investigate the abnormality of the MS cell membrane fatly acid profile. Previous studies focused on individual fatty acids, but it would be more relevant to investigate the relationships within and between the n-6 and n-3 series, and their effect on outcome, and to establish any possible cumulative effects, because the metabolism of fatty adds within the two series does have an effect on one another.