In Vivo Antioxidant Activity of Black Glutinous Corncob Pigment

Abstract

In this paper, the antioxidant activity of black glutinous corncob pigment (BGCP) on D-galactose-induced aged mice is described. The animals were divided into five groups: (1) aged group; (2) normal group; (3) low dose group; (4) medium dose group; and (5) high dose group. After 35 days, the mice were killed and the following parameters were measured in the serum, brain, and liver: malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity. The results indicated that BGCP increased GSH-PX and SOD activities, and decreased MDA concentration. The indices of GSH-PX, MDA, and SOD in the low, medium, and high dose mice, which were injected with D-galactose, approached the levels of normal mice. However, the indices of GSH-PX, MDA, and SOD between the low, medium, and high dose mice were significantly different (P < 0.05) from the aged group of mice. There was a direct correlation between BGCP concentration and SOD and GSH-PX activities, and an inverse correlation between BGCP concentration and MDA concentration. Therefore, BGCP can inhibit the decrease of GSH-PX and SOD activities and the increase of MDA concentration in the serum, brain, and liver of mice induced by D-galactose, and improve the antioxidant activity of aging mice.