PREVENTION OF PEROXIDATIVE STRESS IN RATS FED ON A LOW VITAMIN-E-CONTAINING DIET BY SUPPLEMENTING WITH A FERMENTED BOVINE-MILK WHEY PREPARATION - EFFECT OF LACTIC-ACID AND BETA-LACTOGLOBULIN ON THE ANTIPEROXIDATIVE ACTION

We examined the antiperoxidative properties of a fermented bovine milk whey preparation in fats fed on a low vitamin E-containing diet and i dentified the active principle in the preparation. An exogenous supply of either lactic acid or an amino acid mixture simulated the unfermen ted whey proteins to prevent red blood cell (RBC) hemolysis and to low er liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), The supply o f either whey proteins or beta-lactoglobulin resulted in an increase i n liver GSH and prevented iron-mediated lipoprotein peroxidation. Thes e protein effects were reproduced in rats orally administered with eit her GSA or its precursor, gamma-glutamylcysteine. The amount of TEARS formed during in vitro lipoprotein peroxidation were positively correl ated with liver TEARS. These results suggest that fermented milk produ cts containing lactic acid and bovine milk whey proteins can ameliorat e peroxidative stress in tissues subjected to vitamin E deficiency.