The impact of chronic administration of evening primrose oil and flaxseed oil on redox status of male and female Wistar albino rats

Taken into consideration that oxidative stress response to flaxseed (FSO) and evening primrose oil (EPO) has still not been clarified, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of these two oils, rich in omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids on systemic redox status in male and female Wistar albino rats. The study was carried out on 60 Wistar albino rats classified into two groups, male and female rats. Both groups were divided into three subgroups according to applied oil. The first subgroup was control group, without treatment. The second and third subgroups included animals treated with FSO or EPO in a dose of 300mg/kg/day and 10mg/kg/day per os, respectively. After 6 weeks of treatment, the animals were sacrificed. Following pro-oxidative markers were measured spectrophotometrically from plasma samples: nitrites (NO2-), superoxide anion radical (02-), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), index of lipid peroxidation (TBARS). Parameters of antioxidant protection were measured from erythrocyte lysate: superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and reduced glutathione (GSH). No significant gender specific differences in pro-oxidant markers were noticed in between EPO and FSO groups (p>0.05). Both EPO and FSO significantly increased SOD and GSH compared to CTRL in both genders (p<0.05), while FSO improved CAT values only in males, and EPO only in females. Chronic administration of EPO and FSO omega 3and 6 rich plant oils improved antioxidant defense system with slight gender specific differences in CAT. It's effect on pro-oxidants didn't seem to be protective.