Supplementation of adult rats with moderate amounts of ß-carotene modulates the redox status in plasma without exerting pro-oxidant effects in the brain: a safer alternative to food fortification with vitamin A?
Nutrients
; 6(12): 5572-82, 2014 Dec 01.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25470379
ABSTRACT
Despite the antioxidant potential of vitamin A, recent studies reported that chronic retinol ester supplementation can also exert pro-oxidant effects and neurotoxicity in vivo and raises the mortality rates among healthy subjects. Our aim was to find evidence for a safer (i.e., less toxic) molecule with provitamin A activity. Therefore, we investigated whether chronic supplementation of healthy Wistar rats with ß-carotene (0.6, 3, and 6 mg/kg/day) would demonstrate antioxidant characteristics without leading to pro-oxidant side effects in the brain. Total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP), thiobarbituric reactive species level (TBARS), and total reduced thiol content (SH) were evaluated in plasma. TBARS and SH were additionally evaluated in selected brain regions together with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity. In the present study, we show that ß-carotene is able to exert antioxidant activity in plasma without triggering pro-oxidant events in the brain, providing evidence that may justify its further evaluation as a safer nutritional supplement with provitamin A activity.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Vitamina A
/
Encéfalo
/
Beta Caroteno
/
Suplementos Nutricionais
/
Antioxidantes
Tipo de estudo:
Etiology_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Nutrients
Ano de publicação:
2014
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Brasil
País de publicação:
CH
/
SUIZA
/
SUÍÇA
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SWITZERLAND