Availability and antiperoxidative effects of beta-carotene from Dunaliellabardawil in alcohol-drinking rats

The present study demonstrated the high bioavailability and antiperoxidase capacity of the natural beta-carotene isomer mixture of Dunaliella bardawil compared with synthetic beta-carotene under alcohol-induced oxidative stre ss. Weanling rats were adapted to ethanol by increasing ethanol levels in t heir drinking water to 30% at 5% intervals per week; other rats received wa ter with no added ethanol. One water-drinking group and one alcohol-drinkin g group with no dietary carotene Here used as controls. Two target-drinking groups were supplemented with I g/kg diet beta-carotene either from Dunali ella or a synthetic source, and due to reduced food intake, two ethanol-fed groups received 2 g beta-carotene per kilogram of diet from each source. F ollowing 3 months of ethanol consumption, both carotene sources were found to prevent ethanol-induced lipid peroxidation as expressed bg the hepatic c onjugated oxidized dienes level. However, in the algal-fed rats, hepatic ca rotene and vitamin A levels were higher. In addition to a low er performanc e of the group fed ethanol and synthetic beta-carotene, there were three de aths in this group. (C) Elsevier Science Inc. 1999. All rights reserved.