[Changes in Fatty Acid Composition in the Brain and Liver in Aging Mice of High Cancer Risk AKR Strain and Effect of Savory Essential Oil Administration on Leukemic Process]

Age-related alterations of fatty acid composition in liver and brain of AKR mice was investigated. The effect of savory essential oil (Satureja hortensis L.), added with drinking water on fatty acid composition in these organs and the processes of lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes were estimated. It was found that during aging the percentage of saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased while monounsaturated fatty acids increased. The development of leukemia was accompanied by the increase of saturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids percentage and a decrease of monounsaturated fatty acids amount. In the liver aging caused the increase in the percentage of saturated fatty acids, the decrease of monounsaturated fatty acids, while the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids was not changed. Leukemia (after 8 month) was accompanied by the increase of percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids and the decrease in the amount of oleinic and docosohexaenic acids. The intake of savory essential oil was accompanied by intensification of polyunsaturated fatty acids synthesis in mice liver and reduction of lipid peroxidation products content.