| abstract |
This invention provides a therapeutic composition comprising highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFAs) in an amount and form sufficient to produce normal or supernormal levels of one or more of the respective HUFAs in one or more tissues of an individual in need thereof upon administration of the composition. Preferably, administration of this composition will raise the tissue level of one or more HUFA to over twice normal in a target tissue, more preferably, the tissue level of DHA is raised to over twice normal in the target tissue. Typically, the individual in need of the therapeutic composition is a mammal, especially a human, suffering from a disease selected from the group consisting of cystic fibrosis, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, phenylketonuria, and neurological disorders, including certain neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. Preferably, the levels of one or more of the respective HUFAs, especially DHA, are normalized or supernormalized in membranes of the individual. In another preferred mode of this invention, the HUFAs in the therapeutic composition are in a readily absorbable form, such that the dose of HUFA required to achieve normal or supernormal levels in the individual is lower than the dose required for HUFA-containing triglycerides. For example, the HUFAs may be predominantely in the form of glycerol esters. Preferably at least 70% of the HUFAs are esterified to glycerol; more preferably, the HUFAs are predominantely in the form of diglycerides and/or monoglycerides. |