Long chain polyunsaturate supplementation does not induce excess lipid peroxidation of piglet tissues.
BACKGROUND
Addition of highly polyunsaturated fatty acids to infant formulas raises the possibility of increased lipid peroxidation.


OBJECTIVE
We determined the effects of increasing levels of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (AA) on lipid peroxidation and peroxidative potential in piglet tissues.


METHODS
Four groups of piglets (n = 6) were bottle-fed a formula containing one of four treatments: no long chain fatty acid (Diet 0) and three different levels of DHA/AA at 1-fold (0.3 %/0.6% FA; Diet 1) 2-fold (0.6 %/1.2% FA; Diet 2) and 5-fold (1.5%/3% FA; Diet 5) concentration used in some human infant formulas, and all with equal amount of vitamin E (5.7 IU/ 100 kcal formula) for four weeks.


RESULTS
There were no significant differences between the groups in conjugated diene and glutathione (GSH) levels in the liver, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) in plasma. TBARS levels of the erythrocyte membranes increased in a dose-dependent manner when in vitro oxidation was induced with 10 mM hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) for 30 minutes. The TBARS levels of the liver homogenates of the Diet 5 and Diet 2 groups were significantly different than those of the membranes of the Diet 0 group when the in vitro oxidation was induced with H(2)O(2).


CONCLUSIONS
The results show that dietary vitamin E effectively prevented lipid peroxidation at the LCP concentrations investigated and suggest that levels presently in infant formulas are sufficient.
Semmelweis University, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Pathophysiology, Budapest, Hungary.
Eszter
E
Sarkadi-Nagy
Meng-Chuan
MC
Huang
Guan-Yeu
GY
Diau
Ryan
R
Kirwan
Angela
A
Chueh Chao
Carolyn
C
Tschanz
J Thomas
JT
Brenna
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D013552:Swine; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage
D000975:Antioxidants; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D014810:Vitamin E; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid