Effect of Different Foods on Antioxidant Capacity and Oxidative Damage in Siberian Hamsters

Abstract

In order to understand whether feeding purple cabbage would affect animals’ antioxidant capacity, Siberian hamsters ( Phodopus sungorus ) were utilized and divided into the normal food group (NF, n = 10), normal food plus purple cabbage group (NF + PC, n = 10) and purple cabbage group (PC, n = 10), respectively. The experimental duration was 28 days. We found that SOD activities in the brain, and liver were higher in the NF group than in the NF + PC and PC groups, suggesting that feeding purple cabbage reduced antioxidant capacity in these two organs. In addition, SOD activities in the heart, kidney and testis were higher in the NF and NF + PC groups than in the PC group, suggesting feeding purple cabbage alone reduced antioxidant capacity in these three organs. Lung SOD activity was higher in the NF + PC group than in the NF group, implying feeding purple cabbage increased antioxidant capacity. MDA contents in the brain, heart, liver and kidney were higher in the PC group than in the NF and NF + PC groups, indicating that feeding purple cabbage alone increased lipid peroxidation in these organs. However, MDA contents in the lung and testis were not different among the three groups, implying that no oxidative damages occur in these two organs. In summary, feeding purple cabbage exerted different effects on antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage in different organs.