Dietary chlorella supplementation improves oxidative stress induced by cadmium in SD rats

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effect of chlorella supplementation on oxidative stress induced by dietary cadmium (Cd) in Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats. Sixty male SD rats (14 week‐old) were fed diets containing 0%, 3% or 5% chlorella, and 0 ppm (−Cd) or 160 ppm (+Cd) Cd for 10 weeks. Serum and hepatic superoxide radical generation, erythrocyte and hepatic antioxidative enzyme activities (SOD, GPx, and catalase), and plasma MDA and renal 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine levels were measured. Serum superoxide radical generations of +Cd groups were significantly higher than −Cd groups, and 3% chlorella +Cd group was significantly lower than 0% chlorella +Cd group. Hepatic superoxide radical level in 5% chlorella −Cd group was significantly lower than 0% chlorella−Cd group. But, erythrocyte and hepatic SOD acitivities showed no difference among all the groups. Plasma MDA levels of 0% chlorella +Cd group were significantly higher than 0% chlorella −Cd group, and reduced in 3% chlorella +Cd group compared with 0% chlorella +Cd group. There findings suggest that chlorella supplementation showed antioxidative capacity against oxidative stress induced by dietary Cd. *This work was supported by the grants from Daesang.Co.Ltd. and the second stage of Brain Korea 21 project in 2007.