Abstract

Effects of Salicornia herbacea L. supplementation on lipid peroxidation and antioxidative protein expression in the skeletal muscle of rats was investigated in this study. Sixteen 6-week-old Sprague Dawley male rats were randomly divided into a control diet group (CG, n = 8) and an experimental diet group (EG, n = 8). The rats were given a high-fat diet (CG) or the 5% S. herbacea L. supplemented high-fat diet (EG) for 8 weeks. The results showed that the perirenal fat weight in the EG group was slightly lower than in the CG group, but the difference between the groups was not significant. Among the blood components analyzed, triglyceride (TG) level of the EG group was significantly lower than that of the CG group (p<0.01). Malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the EG group was significantly lower than in the CG group (p<0.01). Additionally, the levels of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD), Mn-SOD and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) protein expression in the soleus muscle of the EG group was increased significantly versus the CG group (p<0.01). These results suggest that a diet supplemented with S. herbacea L. improved the antioxidative properties of the skeletal muscle of rats.

Key words: Salicornia herbacea L., high-fat diet, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx).