Allium vegetable diet can reduce the exercise-induced oxidative stress but does not alter plasma cholesterol profile in rats.

AIMS AND METHODS: This study investigated the effect of Allium vegetable intake on the antioxidative activity and on the plasma cholesterol profile during exercise in rats. Ninety rats were fed either a control diet or a diet with added Allium sativum (AS), Allium cepa (AC), Allium fistulosum (AF), or Allium tuberosum (AT) for 4 weeks and were then subdivided into three groups: before exercise (BE), during exercise (DE), and after exercise (AE). The DE group was exercised on a treadmill for 1 h immediately before being sacrificed. Animals in the AE group were allowed to take a rest for 2 h after having been exercised like the DE group. The antioxidative activity of the Allium vegetables was evaluated with the activities of catalase in plasma and superoxide dismutase (SOD), the ratio of reduced glutathione/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) and the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver. The plasma concentrations of triglyceride, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were also compared.

RESULTS: In AS, AC, AF and AT animals, the ratios of GSH/GSSG were significantly higher than those of the control animals in BE and AE. The level of liver MDA was lower than that of control animals in AE. Compared to control animals, catalase activity of AS animals was higher in BE but was lower in AE while SOD activity of AS animals was lower in both BE and AE. Catalase activity of AC animals was higher in BE and DE while SOD activity of AC animals was higher in DE. There were no differences between AF and control in catalase activities regardless of exercise. There were no differences between control animals and AT animals in SOD activities regardless of exercise. Plasma cholesterol profiles were not significantly different in rats fed different Allium vegetable diets.

CONCLUSION: It is suggested that Allium vegetable diets have antioxidative activities and can reduce the oxidative stress that results from exercise in rats but do not alter the plasma cholesterol profile.