ANTIOXIDANT DEFENSE-MECHANISMS IN THE FEMALE RAT - INTERACTIONS WITH ALCOHOL, COPPER, AND TYPE OF DIETARY CARBOHYDRATE

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ethanol, type of dietary carbohydrate (fructose vs. starch), and levels of dietary c opper (deficient vs. adequate) on antioxidant defense mechanism in the female rat. The consumption of 20% ethanol in the drinking water depr essed growth rate due to a reduction of feed efficiency. Ethanol also lowered hepatic copper concentration, but had no effect on hepatic iro n. Among the three antioxidant enzymes studied [i.e., superoxide dismu tase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase], only catal ase activity was increased by ethanol. This effect was independent of copper or the type of dietary carbohydrate. As expected, copper defici ency dramatically reduced SOD. Copper deficiency also reduced GSH-Px a ctivity; however, the combination of fructose feeding with copper defi ciency caused a further reduction in GSH-Px. The data show that copper deficiency, per se, and the combination of copper deficiency with fru ctose feeding lower the antioxidant defense system in female rats.