# Recent Studies on the Healing Properties of Eicosapentaenoic Acid
## 2 Skin and Its Healing Mechanisms
### Oral Consumption  
As EPA belongs to the omega-3 fatty acids, which partake in many functions of the body, and has recognized beneficial properties, it is reasonable to see why it is a component of many food supplements. EPA is available in fish oil capsules, along with DHA [docosaka-hexaenoic acid]. The majority of commercially available dietary supplements are made from fish oil and are often offered as triglycerides, ethyl ester, or phospholipid EPA. [PERSON] and his team, taking advantage of the healing effect of EPA, compared the efficacy of EPA + DHA fish oil capsule therapy with a placebo in reducing polymorphonuclear leukocyte activation in chronic venous leg ulcers. In this study, 40 patients with chronic venous leg ulcers were randomly assigned to either placebo [Control Group] or EPA + DHA supplementation. Polymorphonuclear leukocyte (CD15) and activated polymorphonuclear leukocyte (CD66b) markers and protease levels were measured on days 0, 28, and 56 of treatment. The collective findings concluded that oral EPA + DHA treatment can modulate the activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and facilitate the healing of chronic venous leg ulcers [19]. The same team of researchers also investigated a novel oral therapy containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two bioactive components of fish oil, to target and reduce the elevated amounts of activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes in the site of the wound that keep chronic venous leg ulcers \"enslaved\" in a chronic inflammatory state. In this clinical research, 248 adults over 55 years of age with chronic venous leg ulcers were divided into two groups and randomly assigned to be given either EPA + DHA (1.87 g/day EPA + 1.0 g/day DHA) or placebo daily for 12 weeks. Then, during the treatment, they examined factors such as reduction in the wound area, active polymorphonuclears in the blood, lipid metabolites, etc., in the patients. The results provided new evidence on the efficacy of EPA + DHA treatment, which may facilitate healing and thus be a novel adjunctive therapy for chronic venous leg ulcers in the aging population [20]. [PERSON] et al. examined the benefits of flaxseed oil supplementation with additional omega-3 fatty acids on wound healing and metabolic status in patients with DFU focused on healing such ulcers. Patients for the study were divided at random into two groupsand given either 1000 mg of flaxseed supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids [EPA and DHA] or a placebo twice daily for 12 weeks. When compared to the placebo group, the supplement group exhibited a substantial decrease in dimensional extent of the ulcer. Significant decreases in insulin resistance and blood insulin levels were seen. Overall, measurements of diabetic foot ulcer size and indicators of the metabolism of insulin benefited from flaxseed supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids [21]. Previous research has indicated that the decreased production of growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF), and excess protease activity may be associated with potential etiologies for impaired wound healing in diabetes. A crucial part of diabetic wound healing is played by mast cells. Mast cell degranulation can be influenced by omega-3 fatty acids in a dose-dependent manner. [PERSON] et al. investigated the association between the presence and degranulation of mast cells in the diabetic wound region and omega-3 fatty acids. After shaving their backs, the rats had an extensive wound (20 mm \(\times\) 20 mm) that measured and reached the level of the panniculus carnosus muscle. Omegaven (Fluka/Sigma-Aldrich), St. Louis, MO, USA) was administered intraperitoneally to the experimental group (\(n=35\)) twice a day at a dose of 1 mL per rat (100 mL of Omegaven contains 2.82 g of EPA and 3.09 g of DHA). Before the trial began, administration was initiated intraperitoneally at a dose of 1 mL once daily.