Effect of feeding cuttlefish liver oil on immune function, inflammatory response and platelet aggregation in rats

The effect of feeding 1% cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis) liver oil for a period of 45 days on immune function, inflammatory response and platelet aggregation was studied in male albino Sprague Dawley rats. In liver oil-treated animals, spleen cell proliferation was significantly higher, especially in the presence of mitogen. The bone marrow cells also showed enhanced proliferation in the treated animals compared to control; however, mitogenic stimulation was not observed. An increase in the number of plaque-forming cells in the spleen and antibody titre in the circulation was also observed in the treated animals, indicating an enhanced humoral immune response. Cuttlefish liver oil feeding also led to a significant decrease in both carrageenan-induced and formalin-induced paw oedema. ADP-induced platelet aggregation was also found to be inhibited in the test animals. The results indicate that feeding a low dose of cuttlefish liver oil can stimulate the immune functions, inhibit inflammatory response and platelet aggregation in rats. The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid present in the cuttlefish liver oil, may be responsible for the observed beneficial effects.