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Effects of ß-Carotene and Retinyl Palmitate on Corn Oil-Induced Superoxide Dismutase and Catalase in Rats^1,2,

Departments of Biochemistry and Pathology, College of Medicine and Department of Human Nutrition, School of Human Ecology, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059

The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of ß-carotene on corn oil-induced superoxide dismutase and catalase. Six groups of male Buffalo rats were fed the following diets for 6 wk: a control diet containing recommended levels of ß-carotene and retinyl palmitate, a retinol diet containing 10 times the recommended level of retinyl palmitate, and a ß-carotene diet containing 10 times the recommended levels of ß-carotene and adequate levels of retinyl palmitate. Each vitamin combination was fed with either 5% (wt/wt) corn oil (low fat) or 20% corn oil (high fat). Plasma total ß-carotene levels were highest in the ß-carotene groups. Levels varied inversely with the level of fat in the control group and directly with fat in the ß-carotene group. Transport of ß-carotene appeared to parallel that of cholesterol in that 36 and 35%, respectively, were associated with the low density lipoprotein fraction. Accumulation of ß-carotene in the liver was apparent from the observation that levels in liver were much higher than those in plasma. Superoxide dismutase activity was much lower in the ß-carotene groups than in the retinol groups, irrespective of level of fat, and catalase activity was also lower in the ß-carotene group, but it was in proportion to the level of fat. These findings suggest that ß-carotene functions as an antioxidant in vivo.

KEY WORDS: • ß-carotene • retinol • antioxidants • hepatocellular carcinoma • superoxide dismutase • catalase • HDL-cholesterol

¹ Data from this study were presented at the 1986 meeting of the American Institute of Nutrition, St. Louis, MO [Blakely, S. R. & Knight, E. V. (1986) Evidence that beta-carotene functions as an antioxidant in vivo. Fed. Proc. 45: 710 abs. 3223)].

² The data are from a dissertation by E. V. Knight submitted to the Graduate School of Art and Sciences, Howard University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Ph.D. degree.

³ Present address: Food and Drug Administration, 200 C St., S. W., HFF-268, Washington, DC 20204.

Manuscript received 4 March 1987. Revision accepted 12 October 1987.