Nutr Res Pract.  2014 Dec;8(6):618-624. 10.4162/nrp.2014.8.6.618.

Antioxidant action of soy isoflavones on oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activities in exercised rats

• Yoon GA
• Park S

• KMID: 2313787
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2014.8.6.618

Abstract

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES
Isoflavones are widely believed to be beneficial to human health, in relation to their antioxidant potentials. Exercise can cause an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants. This study was conducted in order to investigate the ability of isoflavones in amelioration of oxidative stress induced by exercise.
MATERIALS/METHODS
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of four groups: isoflavone-free with no exercise (CON-sd), isoflavone-free with exercise (CON-ex), isoflavone-supplemented with no exercise (ISF-sd), and isoflavone-supplemented with exercise (ISF-ex). Animals exercised on the treadmill for 30 minutes per day, five days per week. TBARS as a marker of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity, including SOD, GSH-px, and catalase were determined in liver tissue. Serum lipid profile was also examined.
RESULTS
A significant effect of isoflavone alone was observed on abdominal fat pad mass. ISF-ex had significantly less abdominal fat pad than CON-ex. Both exercise and isoflavone treatment had significant effects on lowering plasma triglyceride (TG), thus, the ISF-ex group had a significantly lower TG level than the CON-sd group, by 30.9%. However, no differences were observed in plasma cholesterol, HDL-C, and cholesterol/HDL-C ratio. Exercise, isoflavone, and exercise-isoflavone interaction effects were significant on thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (P = 0.001, 0.002, and 0.005, respectively). The CON-ex group showed a higher TBARS level than the other three groups. By contrast, in the ISF-ex group, TBARS was restored to the level of the ISF-sd or CON-sd group. Isoflavone had a significant effect on superoxide dismutase (SOD) (P = 0.022) and catalase activities (P = 0.049). Significantly higher SOD and catalase activities were observed in ISF-ex than CON-ex. SOD and catalase activities showed an inverse pattern of TBARS. Taken together, isoflavones increased the activities of SOD and catalase with concomitant decreases in TBARS, indicative of decreased oxidative stress.
CONCLUSIONS
Isoflavone supplementation enhances antioxidant action with attenuation of exercise-induced oxidative stress, as measured by decreases in TBARS, and inhibits body fat accumulation and plasma TG increase. Antioxidative effects ascribed to isoflavones may be partially exerted via enhancement of antioxidant enzyme activities.

Keyword

Isoflavones; exercise; TBARS; oxidative stress; antioxidant enzymes

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Fat
Adipose Tissue
Animals
Antioxidants
Catalase
Cholesterol
Humans
Isoflavones*
Liver
Male
Oxidative Stress*
Plasma
Rats*
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Reactive Oxygen Species
Superoxide Dismutase
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
Triglycerides
Antioxidants
Catalase
Cholesterol
Isoflavones
Reactive Oxygen Species
Superoxide Dismutase
Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Changes in hepatic TBARS by isoflavone supplementation in exercised or non-exercised rats. Values are presented as mean ± SE. *P values were determined by two-way ANOVA. Values marked with uncommon letters are significantly different by Duncan's multiple range test (P < 0.05). CON-sd, isoflavone-free diet with no exercise; CON-ex, isoflavone-free diet with exercise; ISF-sd, isoflavone-supplemented diet with no exercise; ISF-ex, isoflavone-supplemented diet with exercise.

• 

  Fig. 2 Changes in hepatic superoxide dismutase activity by isoflavone supplementation in exercised or non-exercised rats. Values are presented as mean ± SE. *P values were determined by two-way ANOVA. Values marked with uncommon letters are significantly different by Duncan's multiple range test (P < 0.05). CON-sd, isoflavone-free diet with no exercise; CON-ex, isoflavone-free diet with exercise; ISF-sd, isoflavone-supplemented diet with no exercise; ISF-ex, isoflavone-supplemented diet with exercise.

• 

  Fig. 3 Changes in hepatic catalase activity by isoflavone supplementation in exercised or non-exercised rats. Values are presented as mean ± SE. *P values were determined by two-way ANOVA. Values marked with uncommon letters are significantly different by Duncan's multiple range test (P < 0.05). CON-sd, isoflavone-free diet with no exercise; CON-ex, isoflavone-free diet with exercise; ISF-sd, isoflavone-supplemented diet with no exercise; ISF-ex, isoflavone-supplemented diet with exercise.

• 

  Fig. 4 Changes in hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity by isoflavone supplementation in exercised or non-exercised rats. Values are presented as mean ± SE. *P values were determined by two-way ANOVA. Values marked with uncommon letters are significantly different by Duncan's multiple range test (P < 0.05). CON-sd, isoflavone-free diet with no exercise; CON-ex, isoflavone-free diet with exercise; ISF-sd, isoflavone-supplemented diet with no exercise; ISF-ex, isoflavone-supplemented diet with exercise.

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