Regeneration of Coenzyme Q9
Redox State and Inhibition of Oxidative Stress by Rooibos Tea (Aspalathus
linearis) Administration in Carbon Tetrachloride Liver
Damage
J. KUCHARSKÁ1, O. ULIČNÁ1,
A. GVOZDJÁKOVÁ1, Z. SUMBALOVÁ1,
O. VANČOVÁ1, P. BOŽEK2, M. NAKANO3, M.
GREKSÁK4
1Pharmacobiochemical
Laboratory, School of Medicine, Comenius University, Bratislava, Slovak
Republic, 2Department of Biochemistry and Hematology, State
Hospital, Bratislava, Slovak Republic, 3Institute of Medical
Science of Aging, Aichi Medical University, Nagakute, Japan, 4Institute
of Animal Biochemistry and Genetics, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Ivanka
pri Dunaji, Slovak Republic
Received August 27, 2003
Accepted October 24, 2003
Summary
The effect of rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) on liver
antioxidant status and oxidative stress was investigated in rat
model of carbon tetrachloride-induced liver damage. Synthetic
antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) was used for comparison.
Administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for 10
weeks decreased liver concentrations of reduced and oxidized
forms of coenzyme Q9 (CoQ9H2
and CoQ9), reduced
a-tocopherol
content and simultaneously increased the formation of
malondialdehyde (MDA) as indicator of lipid peroxidation.
Rooibos tea and NAC administered to CCl4-damaged rats
restored liver concentrations of CoQ9H2
and
a-tocopherol
and inhibited the formation of MDA, all to the values comparable
with healthy animals. Rooibos tea did not counteract the
decrease in CoQ9, whereas NAC was able to
do it. Improved regeneration
of coenzyme Q9 redox state and inhibition of
oxidative stress in CCl4-damaged livers may explain
the beneficial effect of antioxidant therapy. Therefore, the
consumption of rooibos tea as a rich source of natural
antioxidants could be recommended as a market available, safe
and effective hepatoprotector in patients with liver diseases.
Key words
CCl4-liver damage
·
Oxidative stress
·
Rooibos tea
·
Coenzyme Q9
·
a-tocopherol
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