title: Influence of L-Carnitine on Stored Rat Blood: A Study on Plasma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Plasma acts as a good indicator of oxidative stress in blood. L-Carnitine is an antioxidant that reduces metabolic stress in cells, thereby providing a protective effect against oxidative stress (OS). L-Carnitine as an additive in storage has not been explored. Thus, this study attempts to analyze the role of L-carnitine in blood storage solution, citrate phosphate dextrose adenine (CPDA)-1, through OS markers including antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation, and protein oxidation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood was collected from male Wistar rats and stored in CPDA-1 solution with L-carnitine (10 mM, 30 mM, and 60 mM: groups LC 10, LC 30, and LC 60, respectively) and without L-carnitine (control group). Plasma was isolated every 5th day and the OS markers were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and sulfhydryl (SH) increased over storage in controls, LC 30, and LC 60. Catalase increased in LC 30 and LC 60 during storage. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and protein carbonyl (PrC) levels in all groups increased initially and reduced towards the end of storage. SOD and SH levels were maintained while TBARS and PrC levels increased in LC 10.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  L-Carnitine was beneficial in terms of increased antioxidant capacity and SH and decreased lipid peroxidation. This forms the basis for further studies on L-carnitine as a constituent in storage solutions.
authors.affiliation: Jain University, Center for Post Graduate Studies, Department of Biotechnology, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: Jain University, Center for Post Graduate Studies, Department of Biotechnology, Bangalore, India.
authors.forename: Vani
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rajashekharaiah
mesh_terms: D000225:Adenine / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001793:Blood Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000378:metabolism*; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002951:Citrates / Q000378:metabolism; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010710:Phosphates / Q000378:metabolism; D010949:Plasma / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; C034876:CPDA solutions; D002951:Citrates; D010710:Phosphates; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005947:Glucose; D000225:Adenine; D002331:Carnitine
keywords: Antioxidant enzymes; L-Carnitine; Lipid peroxidation Protein oxidation.; Plasma