Lutein Ameliorates Streptozotocin-Induced Cardiac Oxidative Stress in Rats

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aims A number of clinical studies and animal models have established that hyperglycemia is the leading cause for the progression of diabetic cardiovascular complications. An elevated glucose levels induces structural and functional changes in the cardiomyocytes through the activation of several signal transduction pathways, one of them is lipid peroxidation. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the protective effects of lutein against cardiac oxidative stress in streptozotocin (STZ; 65 mg/kg)-induced diabetic rats. Method Lutein content (40, 80 and 160 mg/kg) diets were supplemented to diabetic rats for six weeks. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and glutathione (GSH) levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities were measured in cardiac tissue. Histopathological changes were observed in cardiac tissue. Results Lutein dietary supplementations significantly inhibited the diabetic induced increased in heart levels of TBARS and enhanced the decreased levels of GSH in dose dependent manner. Markedly inhibited the cardiac enzymatic activities of SOD, CAT, GPx, GR and GST in diabetic rats were significantly increased in lutein diet supplemented diabetic animals compared to diabetic vehicle group. Conclusion These findings suggest that lutein has the potential to ameliorate STZ-induced toxicity in cardiac tissue probably through its antioxidant properties.