Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences
 

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EFFECT OF OMEGA-3 SUPPLEMENTATION ON OXIDATIVE STRESS, INFLAMMATION AND GUT–BRAIN AXIS DISRUPTION IN PROPIONIC ACID-INDUCED AUTISM IN YOUNG RATS

HAYAT ALZAHRANI 1, TAHANI ALJARBOU 1, SHAISTA ARZOO 1*, AMAL ALOUD 1, RAEESA MOHAMMED 2, DOHA M. AL-NOURI 1, NOUF ALSAQER 3, ISLAM A. ALREDAH 4, ALAA R. KHATAB ⁴

¹ Department of Food Sciences and Nutrition, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
2 Anatomy Department, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
3 College of Applied Medical Sciences, Community Health Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
4 Central Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Research on Experimental Animals, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

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This study examined the omega-3 supplementation effects on oxidative stress, inflammatory biomarkers, gut permeability-related markers, serum neurotransmitters, and short-chain fatty acids concentration in the propionic acid (PPA) (250 mg/kg/day) induced autism rat model. The PPA Group showed significantly increased lipid peroxide compared to other groups and reduced glutathione levels compared with Omega-3 and PPA. IL-6 was significantly higher in the PPA than in the Omega-3 Group. Serotonin levels were significantly lower in the PPA than in the Control and Omega-3 Group. The PPA + Omega-3 Group had significantly lower lipid peroxide and higher glutathione levels than the PPA Group. Histological assessment showed reduced neuronal and villous degeneration in the PPA + Omega-3 Group. Correlation and regression analyses showed associations among selected oxidative stress, gut permeability-related markers, SCFA, inflammatory, and serum neurotransmitter markers, but these findings should be interpreted as exploratory. Overall, in PPA-exposed rats, omega-3 supplementation primarily improved oxidative stress markers, but exhibited limited effects on gut permeability, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and neurotransmitters.