Enzymatically liberated fish oil, OmeGo, demonstrates broad anti-inflammatory properties in recent study

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A recent study¹ found that an enzymatically liberated fish oil called OmeGo, from Hofseth BioCare (Ålesund, Norway), demonstrated anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in two animal models of eosinophilic inflammation. Eosiniphils are well-recognized drivers of numerous human inflammatory diseases such as asthma, chronic rhinitis, as well as gastrointestinal diseases like eosinophilic esophogatis.

In a house dust mite model of induced asthma, 20 healthy female adult mice were randomized into five groups of five mice per group. In a guinea pig model of mild intraperitoneal eosinophilia, 21 healthy male animals were randomized into seven groups. Results showed that OmeGo at a dose of 60 μg significantly reduced broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) fluid by 42%, compared to control, as well as a 42% significant reduction in eosinophils count in the BAL fluid. While apolipoprotein A-IV (APOA-IV) also significantly reduced BAL fluid, it did not significantly reduce eosinophils in BAL fluid. Analysis of spleen cellularity indicated a significant reduction of eosinophils in mice treated with OmeGo and APOA-IV of 38% and 30%, respectively, compared to control.

In the guinea pig model, eosinophils from animals treated with OmeGo at 300 mg/kg saw a significant reduction in eosinophil chemotaxis and chemokinesis, with 50.7% and 55.7% inhibition, respectively, when compared to linoleic acid control. A lower dose of OmeGo at 30 mg/kg produced nonsignificant inhibition of chemotaxis and chemokinesis at 39.7% and 31%, respectively. Pretreatment with cod liver or linoleic acid did not produce any inhibition of eosinophil chemotaxis or chemokinesis.

“OmeGo has the potential for broad anti-inflammatory effects, and here we demonstrate attenuation of eosinophilic activity that is relevant to diseases such as asthma. These data support the case for proof-of-concept studies in asthma,” the study concludes.

“Consumers are increasingly seeking out natural, sustainable, traceable, and most importantly effective nutritional supplements and OmeGo ticks all of these boxes,” said Crawford Currie, MBBS, head of Medical R&D at Hofseth BioCare, in a press release. “At Hofseth BioCare, our sole aim is to capture the complete nutritional value of Norwegian Atlantic salmon, in the most natural way. OmeGo is as close as consumers can possibly get to eating whole fresh fish and deriving all the health benefits that we see in populations with fish-dominant diets.

“Further studies into OmeGo’s powerful anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic properties are in the pipeline and we look forward to unlocking the full potential of this pure and proven ingredient.”

Reference

1. Currie C et al. “Pharmacological evaluation of the effects of enzymatically liberated fish oil on eosinophilic inflammation in animal models.” Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry, Published online ahead of print on March 30, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1002/bab.2338