ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Levocarnitine is important in beta-oxidation of fatty acids. We evaluated the role of levocarnitine in the skeletal muscle mitochondrial antioxidant system of aged rats. METHODS: Male albino Wistar rats were used in this study. The animals were divided into two groups: young rats (group I) and aged rats (group II). These rats were further subdivided into three groups: one control group (groups Ia and IIa) and two experimental groups (groups Ib, IIb and Ic, IIc) for supplementation with levocarnitine for 14 and 21 days, respectively. After the experimental period, the animals were killed by cervical decapitation; blood and skeletal muscle were isolated for further analysis. RESULTS: Levels of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as reduced glutathione, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and tocopherol (vitamin E) were found to be decreased in the blood and skeletal muscle mitochondria of aged rats. Supplementation with levocarnitine in aged rats improved the antioxidant status in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrated that levocarnitine enhances the activity of the mitochondrial antioxidant system and decreases the incidence of free radical-induced lipid peroxidation in aged rats.
