Effect of Amaranthus cruentus seeds on oxidative status in plasma and selected tissues of rats fed with high doses of fructose

Oxidative stress plays an important role as a mediator of damage produced by fructose. This work was designed to investigate the effect of amaranth seeds on oxidative stress in plasma, hearts, kidneys and pancreas of fructose-administered rats. Fructose administration (310g/kg fodder for 5 weeks) caused oxidative damage that was manifested by the increase in plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and by the decrease in the enzymatic antioxidant capacity in plasma and selected tissues. Co-administration of amaranth seeds (310 and 155g/kg fodder) restored the activities of some enzymes. It also influenced the oxidative stress as was evidenced by decreasing MDA and increasing FRAP in plasma, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (erythrocyte superoxide dismutase – eSOD, catalase – CAT, glutathione peroxidase – GPX). The findings demonstrate that amaranth seeds, in dose dependent manner, can act as a moderate protective agent against fructose-induced changes in rats by reducing lipid peroxidation and by enhancing the antioxidant capacity.