THE ALTERATIONS OF ANTIOXIDANT ENZYME LEVELS IN THE BLOOD SERUM BY ADDING ALKALINE WATER SUPPLEMENTED WITH SODIUM ASCORBATE DURING ACUTE HYPERTHERMIC EXPOSURE

Abstract

Free radicals and other oxidants are toxic compounds in all metabolic processes. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) react with the main cellular components, causing damage of tissues and oxidative stress. The state of oxidative stress is initiated by metabolic activation and elevated oxygen consumption, caused by increased temperature of the environment. So, the stress response functions to enhance the survival of the species. Antioxidants are necessary for the maintenance of redox homeostasis in organisms. In order to have a proper physiological function, it is necessary a balance between ROS and antioxidants. Because of its antioxidant effects and its ability of alkalizing the organism, alkaline water (AW) is in the central focus of scientific interest. Adding AW and co-treatment of AW with sodium ascorbate (SA) is expected the organism to act preventively to hyperthermic stress. The aim of our research was to evaluate the effect of AW and SA on antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) during acute hyperthermic stress at white laboratory rats. The experimental animals used were thirty female Wistar rats, divided into three groups of ten rats each, wheighing 210-300gr. Oxidative stress was caused by acute hyperthermic exposure at 41˚C, for 21 days. The first group is the control group, the second group is treated with AW, and the third group with AW and SA. SOD levels were measured using the enzymol method and CAT levels using the spectrophotometric method. All variables were given with its mean ± standard deviation. One way ANOVA was used to analyze the data and the Tukey test was used for comparison. The critical p value was at 0.05, i.e. the difference is significant if p<0,05. Our results show that acute hyperthermic stress on the 21^st day in the second group treated with AW significantly (p <0.001) decreased SOD activity as compared to the control group, while co-treatment of animals with AW and SA in the third group significantly increased the levels of the SOD enzyme on the 7^th day (p<0.01), but not on the 21^st day, although there values obtained show a tendency of increase. Treatment of animals with both AW and SA significantly increased the levels of SOD on the 21^st day (p<0.001) as compared with the group of animals treated with AW. On the other hand, the levels of CAT were decreased in second group of rats, on the 14^th day (p<0.05) as compared to control group, also on the 21^st day the p value is close to significance. Co-treatment with AW and SA resulted in an significantly increase in the levels of CAT on the 21^st day (p<0.0001), as compared to control group. Also, treatment of animals with both AW and SA significantly increased the levels of CAT on day 14^th and 21^st (p<0.001) as compared to group of animals treated with AW, showing a synergistic effect of these treatments. So, this present study showed that individual action of AW as well as synergism with SA caused a high protective effect on oxidative damage and treatment was effective.