The development of dermal lesions and alopecia in male rats fed rapeseed oil.

For 8 weeks 10 male weanling Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a semisynthetic diet containing by weight either 20% corn oil or rapeseed oils containing different amounts of erucic acid (Brassica napus var. Zephyr, 0.6%; B. napus var. Oro, 1.8%; B. campestris var. Span, 4.8%; or B. campestris var. Echo and Arlo, i.e., regular rapeseed oil, 23.6%). At 4-5 weeks after the experiment began, rats receiving the diets containing rapeseed oil showed evidence of alopecia and developed scaly, hemorrhagic, and necrotic tails, as well as scaliness of the feet, similar to the lesions described in essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency. This condition became most severe between 5 and 8 weeks and had disappeared by 14 weeks. Fatty acid analysis of the diets and tissues of the animals did not reveal any evidence of EFA deficiency. It is suggested that these symptoms observed might be related to a possible inhibition of prostaglandin biosynthesis in rats fed rapeseed oils.