Effects of coenzyme Q₁₀ on the antioxidant system in SD rats exposed to lipopolysaccharide-induced toxicity / 한국실험동물학회지

The study was performed to see the effects of coenzyme Q₁₀ (CoQ₁₀) on blood biochemical components and hepatic antioxidant system in rats exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced toxicity. A total of 24 rats were allocated to four groups: control (CON), 100 mg/kg BW of LPS (LPS), 100 mg of CoQ₁₀/kg BW with LPS (LCQI) and 300 mg of CoQ₁₀/kg BW with LPS (LCQII). The LPS and LCQI groups showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in the relative spleen weight compared with the CON group without affecting body and liver weights. The blood alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level in the LPS group was significantly (P<0.05) greater than that in the CON group, while supplementation with 100 or 300 mg CoQ₁₀ to rats injected with LPS normalized the ALT level in the CON group. In antioxidant systems, the LPS group showed a significantly (P<0.05) higher mRNA and activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) than the CON group. The supplementation with CoQ₁₀ to the LPS-treated group normalized the level of SOD, which was comparable to the level of the CON group. Both the mRNA expression and activity of glutathione peroxidase in the LCQI and LCQII groups were higher (P<0.05) than that of the LPS group. However, administration of LPS or CoQ₁₀ unaffected the level of catalase and total antioxidant power. The level of lipid peroxidation in the LCQII group was lower (P<0.05) than that in the LPS group. In conclusion, CoQ₁₀ exerted its favorable effect against liver damage by modulation of antioxidant enzymes in LPS treated rats.

Effects of lutein or lutein in combination with vitamin C on mRNA expression and activity of antioxidant enzymes and status of the antioxidant system in SD rats / 한국실험동물학회지

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of lutein alone or in combination with vitamin C on the antioxidant defense system in rats. A total of 18 eight-week-old male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned to three groups for 4 weeks: control (CON), lutein (LUT, 50 mg lutein/kg BW) and lutein plus vitamin C (LVC, 50 mg lutein/kg BW+1,000 mg vitamin C/kg BW). No differences in body weight, relative live weight or plasma biochemical profiles were observed among treatment groups. In the hepatic antioxidant defense systems, the mRNA expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the LUT and LVC groups was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that in the CON group, whereas the mRNA level of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) was not affected by the administration of antioxidants. SOD and GST activities in the LUT and LVC groups were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those in the CON group, whereas GPX, CAT and lipid peroxidation did not differ among groups. In addition, the LVC group showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in plasma and hepatic total antioxidant power (TAP) relative to the CON group. Overall, administration of lutein in combination with vitamin C improved the status of the total antioxidant defense system in SD rats.