title: Carotenoids from malanga (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) leaves protect cells against oxidative stress in rats.
abstract: The present study investigated the effect of malanga leaf powder and its carotenoids oil extract on oxidative damage in rat tissues. A group of rats received AIN-93G diet devoid of vitamin A (AD) and three other groups were treated with AD diet supplied with synthetic beta-carotene (beta-car) or malanga leaf powder (MP) or malanga carotenoids extract (CE). The diets' carotenoids bioavailability was determined through carotenoids intake/liver retinol content. Lipid thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and protein (carbonyl) oxidation, and reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione concentrations were determined in liver, heart, and brain. Synthetic beta-carotene bioavailability was higher than that of pro-vitamin A carotenoids from MP and CE diets, and no difference was observed between the latter two groups. Liver and heart lipid peroxidation was lower in the beta-car and CE groups than the AD group, while no difference was observed for the MP group. The beta-car, MP, and CE groups showed lower liver protein oxidation than the AD group, and only the CE group had lower heart protein oxidation in relation to AD. The MP group had a lower liver GSSG concentration and higher GSH/GSSG ratio than the AD group, while no difference was observed for heart glutathione concentration among the groups. The results indicate that at physiological levels, beta-car, malanga carotenoids extract, and malanga leaf powder have antioxidant effects in rats.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Biologia Celular, Laboratório de Biofísica, Campus Universitário Darci Ribeiro, Universidade de Brasilia, Asa Norte, Distrito Federal, Brazil. arruda@unb.br
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Arruda
authors.forename: E M T
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Siqueira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet; D004435:Eating; D005978:Glutathione / Q000032:analysis; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000032:analysis; D031063:Xanthosoma / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D014801:Vitamin A; D002338:Carotenoids; D005978:Glutathione