title: Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) attenuates age-related oxidative stress and ameliorates antioxidant capacity in rats.
abstract: Free radical-induced oxidative damage is considered to be the most important consequence of the aging process. The activities and capacities of antioxidant systems of cells decline with increased age, leading to the gradual loss of pro-oxidant/antioxidant balance and resulting in increased oxidative stress. Our investigation was focused on the effects of cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) on lipid peroxidation and antioxidation in aged rats. Age-associated decline in the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), reduced glutathione (GSH), vitamin C and vitamin E, and elevated levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) were observed in the liver, kidneys, heart and lungs of aged rats, when compared to young rats. Furthermore, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), urea, and creatinine were found to be significantly elevated in aged rats compared to young rats. Aged rats receiving cordycepin treatment show increased activity of SOD, CAT, GPx, GR and GST, and elevated levels of GSH, and vitamins C and E such that the values of most of these parameters did not differ significantly from those found in young rats. In addition, the levels of MDA, AST, ALT, urea and creatinine became reduced upon administration of cordycepin to aged rats. These results suggest that cordycepin is effective for restoring antioxidant status and decreasing lipid peroxidation in aged rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, Institute of Biomedical & Health Science, College of Biomedical & Health Science, Konkuk University, Chungju-si, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Thiyagarajan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ramesh
authors.forename: Sung-Kwang
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Sung-Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seock-Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Sang-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.forename: Il-Woung
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Si-Kwan
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003839:Deoxyadenosines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004435:Eating / Q000187:drug effects; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D003839:Deoxyadenosines; D014810:Vitamin E; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005978:Glutathione; C058120:cordycepin; D001205:Ascorbic Acid