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Saturday, October 31, 2009 LONDON: A new discovery about the health benefits of fish oil could pave the way to new treatments for life-threatening conditions such as sepsis and stroke, say scientists.Researchers found that the body converts a fatty acid in fish oils into a powerful anti-inflammatory biochemical called resolvin D2.It was this chemical that accounted for the ability of fish oil to combat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.The British and American scientists believe resolvin D2 could provide the basis of new treatments for a range of serious diseases which involve inflammation. The list includes sepsis - a potentially deadly reaction to infection which causes inflammation to rage through the body - stroke, and arthritis.Laboratory experiments showed how the body converts the fish oil fatty acid DHA into resolvin D2, and revealed the chemical's structure.Professor Mauro Perretti, from Queen Mary, University of London, who led the UK team, said: "We have known ...