title: Antioxidant enzyme activity and malondialdehyde levels can be modulated by Piper betle, tocotrienol rich fraction and Chlorella vulgaris in aging C57BL/6 mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activity and the superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and plasma malondialdehyde levels in aging mice and to evaluate how these measures are modulated by potential antioxidants, including the tocotrienol-rich fraction, Piper betle, and Chlorella vulgaris.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty male C57BL/6 inbred mice were divided into three age groups: young (6 months old), middle-aged (12 months old), and old (18 months old). Each age group consisted of two control groups (distilled water and olive oil) and three treatment groups: Piper betle (50 mg/kg body weight), tocotrienol-rich fraction (30 mg/kg), and Chlorella vulgaris (50 mg/kg). The duration of treatment for all three age groups was two months. Blood was withdrawn from the orbital sinus to determine the antioxidant enzyme activity and the malondialdehyde level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Piper betle increased the activities of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase in the young, middle, and old age groups, respectively, when compared to control. The tocotrienol-rich fraction decreased the superoxide dismutase activity in the middle and the old age groups but had no effect on catalase or glutathione peroxidase activity for all age groups. Chlorella vulgaris had no effect on superoxide dismutase activity for all age groups but increased glutathione peroxidase and decreased catalase activity in the middle and the young age groups, respectively. Chlorella vulgaris reduced lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde levels) in all age groups, but no significant changes were observed with the tocotrienol-rich fraction and the Piper betle treatments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found equivocal age-related changes in erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activity when mice were treated with Piper betle, the tocotrienol-rich fraction, and Chlorella vulgaris. However, Piper betle treatment showed increased antioxidant enzymes activity during aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nor Syahida
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Aliahmat
authors.forename: Mohd Razman Mohd
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Noor
authors.forename: Wan Junizam Wan
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Yusof
authors.forename: Suzana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Makpol
authors.forename: Wan Zurinah Wan
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Ngah
authors.forename: Yasmin Anum Mohd
authors.initials: YA
authors.lastname: Yusof
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D048408:Chlorella vulgaris / Q000737:chemistry*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D023421:Models, Animal; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D031721:Piper betle / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D024508:Tocotrienols / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D024508:Tocotrienols; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase