title: Effect of vitamin E and vitamin C combination on experimental influenza virus infection.
abstract: Successful antioxidant treatment of the so-called "free radical diseases" has been reported in the literature. In this study we examined the preventive effect of vitamin E and vitamin C, alone and in combination, on the damage caused by influenza virus infection (IVI). Male mice (ICR), infected with influenza virus A/2/68/(H3N2) (1.5 of LD(50)), were administered single once-daily doses of vitamin E (60 mg/kg b.w.) and vitamin C (80 mg/kg b.w.) intraperitoneally (3 days before virus inoculation). On the 5th and 7th day, respectively, after virus inoculation, animals were decapitated. Monooxygenase enzyme activity (ethylmorphine N-demethylase, amidopyrin N-demethylase, analgin N-demethylase, aniline hydroxylase, cytochrome P-450 content and NADPH-cytochrome C reductase [CCR]) was determined in liver 9000 x g supernatant. Primary and secondary products of lipid peroxidation (LPO; conjugated dienes [CD] and TBA-reactive substances) were measured in blood plasma, lung and liver 9000 x g supernatant. Vitamin E effectively restored LPO-levels increased by IVI. The effect of vitamin C was similar, but slighter. The combination (vitamin E + C) had greater effect on LPO levels than their separate administration. P-450-dependent monooxygenase activity was significantly restored and more pronounced cytochrome P-450 content and NADPH-CCR activity was noted. The preventive effect of vitamin E was stronger than the effect of vitamin C, but the combination (vitamin E + C) had the strongest effect. The superior protective effect of the combination is probably due to vitamin C's repairing effect on vitamin E's tocopheroxyl radical.
authors.affiliation: Department of Drug Toxicology, Institute of Physiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria. lyubka@bio.bas.bg
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Tantcheva
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Stoeva
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Galabov
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Braykova
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Savov
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Mileva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / Q000378:metabolism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D009980:Influenza A virus; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases / Q000378:metabolism; D009976:Orthomyxoviridae Infections / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014810:Vitamin E; D003577:Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System; D006899:Mixed Function Oxygenases; D001205:Ascorbic Acid