Does emu oil reduce Crohn's symptoms?

Emu oil from Wikipedia
"Unadulterated emu oil can vary widely in color and viscosity, but, assuming the emu has enjoyed a natural diet, is generally a yellow liquid.[5] It is composed of approximately 70% unsaturated fatty acids. The largest component is oleic acid, a mono-unsaturated omega-9 fatty acid. Emu oil also contains roughly 20% linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and 1-2% linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid).

A handful of studies have suggested that emu oil, applied topically, may have anti-inflammatory properties or promote wound healing in various rodent models.[6][7][8]  Emu oil is marketed and promoted as a dietary supplement with a wide variety of claimed health benefits.[9]"

"Emu Oil: A novel therapeutic for disorders of the gastrointestinal tract?" in Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology (2012)
"Recently, Emu Oil has been demonstrated to endow partial protection against chemotherapy-induced mucositis, with early indications of improved intestinal repair. Emu Oil could therefore form the basis of an adjunct to conventional treatment approaches for inflammatory disorders affecting the gastrointestinal system."

"Emu Oil Increases Colonic Crypt Depth in a Rat Model of Ulcerative Colitis" in Digestive Diseases and Sciences (2012)
"Emu oil improved tissue damage associated with colitis, suggesting its potential as a unique formulation to augment conventional treatment approaches for IBD."

Do omega 3 fatty acids reduce Crohn's symptoms?

"What can high-omega-3 foods do for you? " on the world's healthiest foods
excellent sources: flaxseed, salmon, walnuts
very good sources: cloves, oregano, cauliflower, sardines, mustard seeds, cabbage, broccoli

"Omega 3 Blood Test: Monitor and Improve Your Omega 3 Levels" from Rebuild, the blog

The Vital Omega-3 and 6 HUFA Test™ from Vital Choice

"Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory bowel diseases – a systematic review" in British Journal of Nutrition (2012) 

"Despite their well known anti-inflammatory actions, the clinical usefulness of omega-3 PUFA in inflammatory bowel disease is controversial. We aimed to systematically review the available data on the performance of omega-3 PUFA as therapeutic agents in these patients. ... Overall, available data do not allow to support the use of omega-3 PUFA supplementation for the treatment of both active and inactive inflammatory bowel disease. Negative results are quite consistent in trials assessing the use of omega-3 PUFA to maintain disease remission, particularly ulcerative colitis, and to a lesser extent Crohn's disease. Trials on their use in active disease do not allow to draw firm conclusions mainly because the heterogeneity of design (ulcerative colitis) or their short number (Crohn's disease). In most trials, the appropriateness of the selected placebo is questionable. Conclusion: The present systematic review does not allow to make firm recommendations about the usefulness of omega-3 PUFA in inflammatory bowel disease."  [Emphasis mine.]

"The Effects of an Oral Supplement Enriched With Fish Oil, Prebiotics, and Antioxidants on Nutrition Status in Crohn’s Disease Patients" in Nutrition in Clinical Practice (2011)
"Background: Research in the treatment of Crohn’s disease (CD) supports anti-inflammatory benefits of n-3 fatty acids from fish oil, prebiotics, and antioxidants. A nutritionally balanced inflammatory bowel disease nutrition formula (IBDNF) enriched with these compounds has the potential to improve nutrition status and disease activity in CD. ...
Conclusions: IBDNF has the potential to deposit fat-free and fat mass, improve vitamin D status, and improve quality of life in CD patients."

"Omega-3s Fish Oil Craze: Is It an Environmental Disaster?" in The Insider, Health World Net (2011)

"Immunomodulatory Effects of (n-3) Fatty Acids: Putative Link to Inflammation and Colon Cancer" in J Nutr (2007)

"From a dietary perspective, fish oil containing (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has antiinflammatory properties, but for years the mechanism has remained obscure. Of relevance to the immune system in the intestine, we showed that (n-3) PUFA feeding alters the balance between CD4+ T-helper (Th1 and Th2) subsets by directly suppressing Th1 cell development (i.e., clonal expansion). This is noteworthy because Th1 cells mediate inflammatory diseases and resistance to intracellular pathogens or allergic hypersensitivity, and Th2 cells mediate resistance to extracellular pathogens. Therefore, any changes induced by (n-3) PUFAs in T-cell subset balance and function are important because the outcome is expected to suppress the development of autoimmune diseases and possibly the occurrence of colon cancer."

"Supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids may have a therapeutic effect in supporting Crohn's disease remission" in Inflamm Bowel Dis (2000)
"This study indicates that an immunomodulating formula containing n-3 fatty acids and/or AO may have the potential to play a role in the treatment of CD."

How can bioavailability be improved in Crohn's?

Premeal drink of a fatty acid mixed in a nutritional supplement
Inflammatory bowel disease: from bench to bedside, Targon et al. (2005)
"We have shown recently that abnormally rapid transit contributes to poor bioavailability of an oral drug in IBD patients with chronic diarrhea, and that drug bioavailability can be readily and safely increased with the fatty acid-based therapy." (
"... this therapy is directed specifically at slowing gastro-intestinal transit, an important beneficial side-effect of this therpy is increased contact time of the luminal contents with digestive enzymes and absorptive surfaces.  In addition to improving diarrhea, this therapy is likely to improve nutrition by increasing digestion and absorption of a meal. ... the end products of fat digestion are the most potent nutrient triggers of the intestinal brake system" (p. 597)