Lipid peroxidation and glutathione system in hyperlipemic rabbits: influence of olive oil administration

We studied the effect of supplementation (10% w/w) of a hyperlipemic diet ( 1% cholesterol) with olive oil (OLIV) for 6 weeks in four groups of 10 rabb its each. At the end of this period, we determined lipid peroxidation, glut athione content, and glutathione peroxidase, reductase and transferase acti vities in liver, brain, heart, aorta and platelets. The atherogenic diet in creased tissue lipid peroxidation and decreased the protective antioxidant effect of glutathione. Dietary supplementation with olive oil reduced tissu e lipid peroxidation by 71.6% in liver, 20.3% in brain, 84.5% in heart, 63. 6% in aorta, 72% in platelets. The ratios total/oxidized glutathione were i ncreased in all tissues (49% in liver, 48% in brain, 45% in heart, 83% in a orta, 70% in platelets). Olive oil increased glutathione peroxidase and tra nsferase activities in all tissues. We conclude that in rabbits made hyperl ipemic with a diet rich in saturated fatty acids, olive oil decreased tissu e oxidative stress. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.