The infusion of trieicosapentaenoyl-glycerol into humans and the in vivo formation of prostaglandin I3 and thromboxane A3.

Thirty ml of an emulsion containing 3 g of trieicosapentaenoyl-glycerol (90% pure, containing 5% arachidonic acid (AA)) was infused intravenously in 2 male healthy volunteers. Urine samples were collected for 24 h before and 48 h after the infusion in 5 periods. Urinary metabolites of prostaglandin (PG) I2/3 and thromboxane (TX) A2/3 (PGI2/3-M and TXB2/3-M, respectively) were extracted from the urinary samples and measured by GC-MS. Excretion of PGI3-M was markedly enhanced right after the infusion. Because PGI3 was produced without involvement of intestinal absorption of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), enhanced PGI3 formation was strongly suggested to take place in the vasculature. From the marked increment in TXB2/3-M after the infusion it was calculated that conversion rate of EPA to TXA3 was 8% of that of AA to TXA2 in this in vivo condition.