EFFECTS OF BUTYLATED HYDROXYTOLUENE (BHT) ENRICHED DIET ON SERUM ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY IN PRE-DIABETIC AND OVERTLY DIABETIC NOD MICE

Preventive (antioxidant activity) and chain-breaking (total peroxyl ra dical-trapping parameter) antioxidants in the serum of controls and bu tylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)-diet enriched nonobese diabetic (NOD) and C57B16/J mice from 5 to 25 weeks of age are measured in this study. A significant decrease in the overall potency of both antioxidant types is demonstrated in NOD untreated controls but not in animals whose di et was BHT-enriched. Therefore, we show that alterations of the antiox idant status in NOD mice is efficaciously counteracted by BHT.