title: Effect of X-radiation on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant systems in rats treated with saponin-containing compounds.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of three saponin-containing plant species extracts (Aesculuc hippocastanum L. seed extract [AHE], Medicago sativa L. extract [MSE] and Spinacia oleracea L. extract [SOE]) on lipid peroxidation and on antioxidant systems in rats exposed to X-rays (XR). The rats were divided into three categories. The first category served as controls and received only a standard diet. The second category served as the radiation group and received 5 and 10 Gy XR dose. The third category (XR+extract-treated) received plant extracts (25.0 or 50.0 mg kg(-1) live weight) and 5 or 10 Gy XR dose. Blood samples were analyzed for their content of malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH), plasma vitamin C, beta-carotene and retinol. In animals receiving XR, the plasma MDA (P < 0.001) value significantly increased but the level of GSH (P < 0.01), vitamin C (P < 0.001), retinol and beta-carotene (P < 0.001) decreased significantly with increasing XR doses. In the XR+extract-treated groups, the concentrations of MDA increased significantly with increasing radiation but their concentrations decreased significantly with increasing extract concentrations. Plasma concentrations of GSH, beta-carotene, retinol and vitamin C in XR+extract-treated groups decreased significantly with increasing XR dose but their concentrations increased with increasing extract doses. Further, comparison of blood samples of XR+extract-treated groups with those from the control group showed that GSH, beta-carotene, retinol and vitamin C values increased significantly but that MDA values decreased significantly. The results showed that all extracts have enhanced the antioxidant status and decreased the incidence of free radical-induced lipid peroxidation in blood samples of rats exposed to XR. However, the antioxidant effect of AHE-administered animals was more effective than that of MSE- and SOE-administered whole-body XR rats. We conclude that the supplementation with saponin-containing extracts may serve to reinforce the antioxidant systems, thus having protective effect against cell damage by XR.
authors.affiliation: Kumluca Anatolian Vocation High School, Kumluca, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Yalinkilic
authors.forename: Huseyin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Enginar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D032127:Sapindus / Q000737:chemistry; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins