The antioxidant effect of chitosan on virgin and mated Drosophila females

Abstract

Mating causes decreased life span and oxidative damage in female Drosophila. We investigated the effect of under mating and virginity oxidative stress-induced damage and soluble Chitosan (Ch) supplementation. It was determined as antioxidant capacity (TAS) and total oxidation (TOS), triacylglycerol (TAG), protein and glycogen concentration of Ch (1–20 mg/mL) on young-old mated and virgin flies (Drosophila melanogaster). We were found that females of mating and aging groups feeding with Ch were lower levels of stress. Feeding with high concentrations of Ch in aging decreased the amount of TAG and glycogen, while increasing the amount of protein. The study suggests that higher antioxidant defenses in virgin and old females confer resistance to oxidative stress, because of feeding with 20% Ch. Data shows that mating status affects fly physiology and metabolism in free radical processes.