Iron status and lipid peroxidation in intermittent iron-supplemented rats

ABSTRACT

Despite extensive literature on iron and lipid peroxidation, few studies have investigated the effects of iron supplement on lipid peroxidation, The present study was designed to investigate the effect of intermittent iron supplementation on iron status, vitamin E status and lipid peroxidation in iron normal and iron deficient rats. Seventy two male Sprague-Dawley albino rats weighing [30-55 g] were divided into two groups [A and B], group A [32 rats] represents iron normal while group B [40 rats] represents iron deficient group. Group A was divided into 4 subgroups [1, 2, 3 and 4] and were fed on iron normal diet iron normal diet, with oral iron [l60mg/kg body weight] twice a week, iron normal diet with vitamin E supplementation [200mg/kg die] and iron normal diet with both oral iron dose and vitamin E supplementation respectively. Group B was divided into 5 subgroups, [I, II, III, IV and V] and were fed on iron normal diet, iron deficient diet, iron deficient diet with oral iron dose [160mg/kg body weight] twice a week, iron deficient diet with vitamin E supplementation [200mg/kg diet] and iron deficient diet with both oral iron dose and vitamin E supplementation respectively. Animals were fed ad libitum for 7 weeks. Blood hemoglobin [Hb], plasma iron, total iron binding capacity [TIBC], liver and kidney non heme iron, malondialdehyde [MDA] in [plasma, liver and kidney], blood glutathione [GSH], and vitamin E in [plasma and liver] were determined. The results showed that iron supplementation to normal rats led to a significant increase in blood hemoglobin, plasma iron, liver and kidney non heme iron, kidney MDA and slightly increase in plasma and liver MDA, while TIBC, plasma and liver vitamin E showed significant decrease. Iron supplementation to iron deficient rats led to markedly increase in blood Hb, plasma iron, liver and kidney non heme iron, blood GSH, liver and kidney MDA, while TIBC, plasma vitamin E showed a significant decrease. An improvement of iron status, lipid peroxidation, plasma and liver vitamin E levels were observed in groups which fed on diet contain vitamin E with or without oral dose of iron. In conclusion intermittent oral iron supplementation and daily supplementation of vitamin E could improve iron status and lipid peroxidation in iron normal and deficient rats