Table 1.

Brain and liver synthesis (conversion) coefficients of DHA derived from α-linolenic acid in rats fed different n-3 PUFA containing diets. Data from (16, 29, 36, 37).

Diet during 15 weeks post-waning	BRAIN	LIVER
	$k_{i(\alpha -\mathit{LNA}\to \mathit{DHA})}^{\ast }$ ml/s/g × 10-4 (i = PL, TG)
High DHA, fishmeal containing NIH-31-18-4 diet (2.3% FA)	0.0055, 0.00040	0.03, 0.1
High α-LNA diet (4.6% FA); no DHA	0.0063, 0.00077	0.053, 0.219
Low α-LNA diet (0.2% FA); no DHA	0.0051, 0.00089	0.444, 1.45

FA = fatty acid; PL, phospholipids: TG, triacylglycerol; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid