The Journal of Nutrition Vol. 127 No. 7 July 1997, pp. 1290-1296
Copyright ©1997 by the American Society for Nutritional Sciences

Supplementation with Vitamin C, Vitamin E or -Carotene Influences Osmotic Fragility and Oxidative Damage of Erythrocytes of Zinc-Deficient Rats

Manuscript received 23 October 1996. Initial reviews completed 26 December 1996. Revision accepted 5 March 1997.

Institut für Ernährungsphysiologie der Technischen Universität München-Weihenstephan, 85350 Freising, Germany

Dietary zinc deficiency in rats causes increased osmotic fragility of their erythrocytes. In this study, the influence of supplementary antioxidants (vitamin C, vitamin E or -carotene) on osmotic fragility, oxidative damage and components of the primary defense system of erythrocytes of zinc-deficient rats was investigated. Indicators of hemolysis in vivo were also examined. Five groups of 12 male rats were force-fed a zinc-adequate diet (control rats), a zinc-deficient diet or a zinc-deficient diet enriched with vitamin C, vitamin E or -carotene. Compared with the control rats, the rats fed the zinc-deficient diet without supplementary antioxidants had greater red blood cell osmotic fragility, higher concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and alanine, higher glutathione S-transferase activity, lower concentration of glutathione and activity of glutathione peroxidase as well as lower activity of superoxide dismutase in plasma (P < 0.05). Supplementation with antioxidants generally improved osmotic fragility in zinc-deficient rats without influencing zinc concentration or alkaline phosphatase activity in plasma, indicators of zinc status. At some of the hypotonic saline concentrations tested, vitamin C and -carotene significantly affected osmotic fragility. The zinc-deficient rats fed a diet without supplementary antioxidants had significantly higher concentrations of alanine in erythrocytes than the zinc-deficient rats supplemented with vitamin C, vitamin E or -carotene and had significantly higher levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in erythrocytes than the rats supplemented with -carotene. There was no indication of hemolysis in vivo in rats fed zinc-deficient diets. The results show that supplementary antioxidants decrease osmotic fragility and oxidative damage of erythrocytes in zinc-deficient rats.

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