The effect of dietary and supplementation of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids on healing of skin, gastrointestinal and diabetic wounds

Abstract

Background: Omega-3 fatty acid is one of the essential fatty acids in human body that can be found in the sea products, especially fish and fish oil and also in some of the seeds oils. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have a lot of influences on human body. Use of natural products and avoidance of artificial products in therapy of various diseases can make a new way in medical science without bad effects on human body. One of this new ways is using omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in wound healing in diabetic, gastrointestinal and skin wounds. This study is review of so many articles for obtained effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on these wounds. Methods: The study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of pervious researches. Articles about the role of omega-3 or omega-6 fatty acids on wound healing, from 1980 to 2013, were searched in different databases and results were compared. Eventually, 45 clinical trials (parallel or crossover) were recruited in this review. Findings: Omega-3 fatty acids have positive effects on wounds healing in diabetic wounds, and also other wounds like gastric wounds, intestinal wounds, colonic wounds, and burn wounds. In some researches, omega-3 fatty acids have had more effects than omega-6 fatty acids in wound healing. Conclusion: Due to these results, we can use polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids) as new medicine for improvement of healing diabetic, skin and gastrointestinal wounds. © 2015, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.