PHARMACOLOGY AND TOXICOLOGY IS-Carotene-Containing Preparations Enhance Antioxidant Potential of the Liver and Myocardium

The effects of [3-carotene-containing food additives carinate and carinate CD on the antioxidant potential of rat liver and myocardium were examined. Daily oral administration of these drugs in doses equal to 0.4 and 14 mg/kg [3-carotene inhibited ascorbate-dependent peroxidation of endogenous lipids in hepatocytes and cardiomyocytes 1.5-6.5- and 1.5-40-fold, respectively, depending on [3-carotene form and dose. Carinate CD containing a complex of [3--carotene with [3-cyclodextrin was a more potent inhibitor of lipid peroxidation in the liver and myocardium than carinate containing free [3-carotene. [3-Carotene-containing food additives can be recommended for the prophylaxis of cardiovascular, oncological, and other diseases. Provitamin A or [3-carotene is a component of many food additives and multivitamin preparations. [3-Carotene is assigned to the group of natural antioxidants because of its ability to inhibit free radical oxidation of different substrates in model systems [6-9]. However, in vivo antioxidant effect of [3-carotene has not been studied in detail. In the present study we examined the changes in duration of lag-phase of free radical ascorbate-dependent oxidation of endogenous lipids in rat liver and myocardium after 30-day oral administration of [3-carotene and carotene-containing additives containing provitamin A in a nonimmobilized form or as a complex with [3-cyclodextrin.