Blueberry extracts protect testis from hypobaric hypoxia induced oxidative stress in rats.

Abstract

Exposure to hypobaric hypoxia causes oxidative damage to male rat reproductive function. The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effect of a blueberry extract (BB-4) in testis of rats exposed to hypobaric hypoxia. Morphometric analysis, cellular DNA fragmentation, glutathione reductase (GR), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were evaluated. Our results showed that supplementation of BB-4 reduced lipid peroxidation, decreased apoptosis, and increased GR and SOD activities in rat testis under hypobaric hypoxia conditions (P < 0.05). Therefore, this study demonstrates that blueberry extract significantly reduced the harmful effects of oxidative stress caused by hypobaric hypoxia in rat testis by affecting glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase activities.

• Authors: Andrea Zepeda, Luis G Aguayo, Jorge Fuentealba, Carolina Figueroa, Alejandro Acevedo, Perla Salgado, Gloria M Calaf, Jorge Farías
• Journal: Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity (Oxid Med Cell Longev) Vol. 2012 Pg. 975870 ( 2012) ISSN: 1942-0994 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 23213351 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Plant Extracts
• Protective Agents
• Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
• Glutathione Peroxidase
• Superoxide Dismutase
• Glutathione Reductase

Topics

• Animals
• Blueberry Plants (chemistry)
• Body Weight (drug effects)
• Glutathione Peroxidase (metabolism)
• Glutathione Reductase (metabolism)
• Hematocrit
• Hypoxia (enzymology, pathology, prevention & control)
• Lipid Peroxidation (drug effects)
• Male
• Organ Size (drug effects)
• Oxidative Stress (drug effects)
• Plant Extracts (pharmacology)
• Protective Agents (pharmacology)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Superoxide Dismutase (metabolism)
• Testis (drug effects, enzymology, pathology)
• Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (metabolism)