Dimitrova Anelia A, Strashimirov D, Betova Tatiana, Russeva Adelaida, Alexandrova Margarita
Department of Pathophysiology, Medical University, Pleven, Bulgaria.
Acta Biol Hung. 2008 Sep;59(3):305-14. doi: 10.1556/ABiol.59.2008.3.4.
The present study focused on the effect of Zn containing diets on the activity of superoxide dismutase (Cu/ZnSOD), systolic blood pressure (SBP), lipid peroxides (ROOH) and lipids (LDL, HDL, triglycerides and cholesterol) in male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Three experimental groups of animals were studied: a control (G1-40 mg), and two with zinc-supplemented diets (G2-100 and G3-160 mg Zn/kg lab chow). The diets were introduced at the beginning of the development of hypertension (2 months after birth) and the animals were fed for 8 weeks. The activity of CuZnSOD in erythrocytes was determined by spectrophotometry with the use of RANSOD kit (RANDOX Laboratories Ltd., UK). Atomic-absorption spectrometry was used to determine Zn and Cu concentrations in the rat's sera. A significantly increased Cu/ZnSOD activity was found in G3 compared with rats fed with control diet G1 (p = 0.020). SBP was significantly decreased in G3 in relation to G1 (p = 0.0048). The lipid hydroperoxide concentration was significantly decreased in G3 compared with G1 (p = 0.016) and G2 (p = 0.005). Zinc supplement affected lipids profile by decreasing LDL and increasing HDL. The present data suggest that Zn concentration in the diet plays an important role in the regulation of SBP and can be a critical nutrient for maintenance of anti-oxidative events in SHR.
