The Protective Effects of Probiotics on High Fat Diet-Induced Oxidative Damage Using a Comet Assay in Rats

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the antioxidant capability and preventive effect of probiotics on high fat diet induced oxidative damage. Thirty male rats were randomly divided into three groups.The control group consumed a normal standard diet (5% fat, w:w), the high fat diet group received a high fat diet (20% fat, w:w), and probiotics group received a high fat diet supplemented with 2% probiotics. After 6 weeks, antioxidant capability of liver was determined and DNA fragmentation of liver cell was determined using a comet assay. The results showed that high fat diet could induce oxidative stress, shown as significant increases in lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide free radical, significant decrease in activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, the percentage of DNA fragmentation was markedly increased, compared with control group. These alterations were significantly reversed in probiotics supplemented group and had no significant difference in antioxidant capability, lipid peroxidation and DNA damage compared with control group. Present observation indicated the probiotics had antioxidant property, which could scavenge free radical and enhance antioxidant defense system, and had the positive protective function on oxidative damage.