The effects of coenzyme Q₁₀ supplement on blood lipid indices and hepatic antioxidant defense system in SD rats fed a high cholesterol diet / 한국실험동물학회지

A total of 24 SD rats were allotted to four treatment groups such as the control (CON), 1% of cholesterol diet (CHO), 0.5% of coenzyme Q₁₀ (COQ) and 1% of cholesterol plus 0.5% of coenzyme Q₁₀ (CHCQ) groups to determine the effects of coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) on the antioxidant defense system in rats. The body weight, weight gain, liver weight and abdominal fat pads were unaffected by 0.5% of CoQ₁₀ supplement in the rats. The level of triglyceride and HDL-cholesterol levels in the blood was significantly increased (p< 0.05) by the 1% of cholesterol supplement (CHO), whereas 0.5% of CoQ₁₀ supplement (COQ) did not alter these blood lipid indices. In the mRNA expression, there was a significant effect (P < 0.05) of the CoQ₁₀ supplement on the mRNA expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD), although the mRNA expression of glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) was unaffected by cholesterol or the CoQ₁₀ supplement. Similar to mRNA expression of SOD, its activity was also significantly increased (P < 0.05) by CoQ₁₀, but not by the cholesterol supplement effect. The activities hepatic GPX and GST were unaffected by CoQ₁₀ and cholesterol supplements in rats. Lipid peroxidation in the CHO group resulted in a significant (p< 0.05) increase compared with that in the other groups, indicating that the CoQ₁₀ supplement to 1% of cholesterol-fed rats alleviated the production of lipid peroxidation in the liver. In conclusion, 0.5% of the CoQ₁₀ supplement resulted in positive effects on the hepatic antioxidant defense system without affecting blood lipid indices in 1% of cholesterol fed rats.

Effects of dietary lipid-coated zinc on the antioxidant defense system in the small intestine and liver of piglets / 한국실험동물학회지

The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of lipid-coated ZnO (LCZ) and the level of LCZ compared with ordinary zinc oxide (ZnO) on antioxidant defense system in the intestine and liver of piglets. A total of forty piglets (n=8) were fed a diet supplemented with 100 ppm Zn with ZnO (ZnO-1), 2,500 ppm Zn with ZnO (ZnO-2), 100 ppm Zn as LCZ (LCZ-1), 200 ppm Zn as LCZ (LCZ-2), or 400 ppm Zn as LCZ (LCZ-3) for 14-d, respectively. The LCZ-3 group resulted in higher (P < 0.05) mRNA expressions and activities of CuZn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in jejunal mucosa compared with the ZnO-1 and LCZ-1 groups, while no difference was observed in the mRNA level of antioxidant genes between the ZnO-1 and ZnO-2 groups. Within the LCZ groups, the LCZ level linearly and quadratically (P < 0.01) increased antioxidant enzymes in the jejunum. The maximum response of jejunal antioxidant enzymes to Zn supplementation was achieved by 400 ppm of LCZ. Hepatic mRNA expression of antioxidant enzymes was unaffected by Zn source and level, while hepatic SOD and GST activities were greater (P < 0.05) in the LCZ-3 group than in the ZnO-1 group. No difference was observed in lipid peroxidation of the jejunum and liver and the total antioxidant power of plasma among groups. In conclusion, a supplementation with 400 ppm of LCZ resulted in a maximum increase in antioxidant enzymes, indicating that LCZ may affect antioxidant defense system more profoundly than ZnO.