title: Supplementation of adult rats with moderate amounts of β-carotene modulates the redox status in plasma without exerting pro-oxidant effects in the brain: a safer alternative to food fortification with vitamin A?
abstract: Despite the antioxidant potential of vitamin A, recent studies reported that chronic retinol ester supplementation can also exert pro-oxidant effects and neurotoxicity in vivo and raises the mortality rates among healthy subjects. Our aim was to find evidence for a safer (i.e., less toxic) molecule with provitamin A activity. Therefore, we investigated whether chronic supplementation of healthy Wistar rats with β-carotene (0.6, 3, and 6 mg/kg/day) would demonstrate antioxidant characteristics without leading to pro-oxidant side effects in the brain. Total reactive antioxidant potential (TRAP), thiobarbituric reactive species level (TBARS), and total reduced thiol content (SH) were evaluated in plasma. TBARS and SH were additionally evaluated in selected brain regions together with superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activity. In the present study, we show that β-carotene is able to exert antioxidant activity in plasma without triggering pro-oxidant events in the brain, providing evidence that may justify its further evaluation as a safer nutritional supplement with provitamin A activity.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Anexo Depto. Bioquímica, Lab 32, CEP 90035-003, Porto Alegre, Brazil. ceschnorr@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Carlos Eduardo
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Schnorr
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Anexo Depto. Bioquímica, Lab 32, CEP 90035-003, Porto Alegre, Brazil. maurilio.bio@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maurilio da Silva
authors.initials: Mda S
authors.lastname: Morrone
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Anexo Depto. Bioquímica, Lab 32, CEP 90035-003, Porto Alegre, Brazil. andresimoespires@gmail.com.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Simões-Pires
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Anexo Depto. Bioquímica, Lab 32, CEP 90035-003, Porto Alegre, Brazil. lsbittencourt@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Leonardo da Silva
authors.initials: Lda S
authors.lastname: Bittencourt
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Anexo Depto. Bioquímica, Lab 32, CEP 90035-003, Porto Alegre, Brazil. fzchulia.biomed@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Fares
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zeidán-Chuliá
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos em Estresse Oxidativo, Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Anexo Depto. Bioquímica, Lab 32, CEP 90035-003, Porto Alegre, Brazil. 00006866@ufrgs.br.
authors.forename: José Cláudio Fonseca
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Moreira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000097:blood; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D019207:beta Carotene; D014801:Vitamin A; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase