TOTAL ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY, LIPID PEROXIDATION, BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS AND BLOOD PRESSURE IN GENETICALLY OBESE RATS

Abstract

Obesity is a disease that is associated with increased risk of mortality. Genetically obese Zucker rats (mutation of the leptin receptor gene, fa/fa) have been used as an experimental model for the study of obesity. These rats seems to display a sufficient line of defense against oxidative stress during the development of obesity. The aim of this study was to evaluated the total antioxidant capacity, lipid peroxidation, biochemical parameters and blood pressure in obese Zucker rats (ZO) males at 34 weeks of age. Ten Zucker rats (ZO, n=5, control n=5) were used in the study. Body fat (g), Total antioxidant performance (TAP: %), malondialdehyde (MDA: μM), glucose (mg/dL), triglycerides (mg/dL), total cholesterol (TC, mg/dL), and systolic blood pressure (SBP: mmHg) were analyzed. Compared to the control group, ZO showed increased (p <0.05) in body fat (89.5±11.77 vs 16.8±2,42), glucose (180.2±35.9 vs 111.3±11.3), triglycerides (260.5±143.4 vs 40.3±12.7), TC (85.1±40.9 vs 40.3±12.7) and SBP (155.4±7.2 vs 128.0±8.0). The groups showed similar values (p>0.05) of TAP (44.1±19.5 vs 59.6±14.3) and MDA (0.21±0.02 vs 0.19±0.02). These data support the conclusion that obese Zucker rats at 34 weeks of age not show losses of antioxidant defense system, despite the comorbidity installed, such as hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and hypertension.Financial Support: CAPES, FAPESP