Protective effects of L-arginine on pulmonary oxidative stress and antioxidant defenses during exhaustive exercise in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of L-arginine (L-Arg) supplementation on pulmonary oxidative stress and antioxidant defenses in rats after exhaustive exercise.


METHODS
Rats were randomly divided into four groups: sedentary control (SC), sedentary control with L-Arg treatment (SC+Arg), exhaustive exercise with control diet (E) and exhaustive exercise with L-Arg treatment (E+Arg). Rats in groups SC+Arg and E+Arg received a 2% L-Arg diet. Rats in groups E and E+Arg underwent an exhaustive running test on a motorized treadmill. Pulmonary oxidative stress indices [xanthine oxidase (XO), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and malondialdehyde (MDA)] and antioxidant defense systems [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione reductase (GR), and glutathione (GSH)] were investigated in this study.


RESULTS
L-Arg supplementation significantly reduced exercise-induced elevations of XO and MPO activities in lung. L-Arg reversed the exercise-induced increase in SOD and GR activities, but increased CAT and GPX activities. L-Arg administration also significantly increased the GSH levels in plasma.


CONCLUSIONS
L-Arg supplementation can prevent elevations of XO and MPO activities in the lung and favorably influence pulmonary antioxidant defense systems after exhaustive exercise.
Lin
Wang-teng
WT
Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taipei, China.
Yang
Suh-ching
SC
Chen
Kung-tung
KT
Huang
Chi-chang
CC
Lee
Ning-yuean
NY
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D010805:Physical Conditioning, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D011506:Proteins; D014527:Uric Acid; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001120:Arginine; D002374:Catalase; D009195:Peroxidase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase; D005978:Glutathione