Evaluation of antioxidant capacity and inflammatory cytokine gene expression in horses fed silibinin complexed with phospholipid.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate antioxidant capacity and inflammatory cytokine gene expression in horses fed silibinin complexed with phospholipid.


METHODS
5 healthy horses.


METHODS
Horses consumed increasing orally administered doses of silibinin phospholipid during 4 nonconsecutive weeks (0 mg/kg, 6.5 mg/kg, 13 mg/kg, and 26 mg/kg of body weight, twice daily for 7 days each week). Dose-related changes in plasma antioxidant capacity, peripheral blood cell glutathione concentration and antioxidant enzyme activities, and blood cytokine gene expression were evaluated.


RESULTS
Plasma antioxidant capacity increased throughout the study period with increasing dose. Red blood cell nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate:quinone oxidoreductase I activity decreased significantly with increasing doses of silibinin phospholipid. No significant differences were identified in glutathione peroxidase activity, reduced glutathione or oxidized glutathione concentrations, or expression of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1, or interleukin-2.


CONCLUSIONS
Minor alterations in antioxidant capacity of healthy horses that consumed silibinin phospholipid occurred and suggest that further study in horses with liver disease is indicated.
Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biological Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO. 80523.
Eileen S
ES
Hackett
Khursheed R
KR
Mama
David C
DC
Twedt
Daniel L
DL
Gustafson
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006736:Horses / Q000378:metabolism*; D020944:Silybum marianum / Q000737:chemistry*; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000378:metabolism; D009249:NADP / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary
D000975:Antioxidants; D016207:Cytokines; D010743:Phospholipids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D009249:NADP; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone)