Acta Vet. Brno 2008, 77: 335-340

https://doi.org/10.2754/avb200877030335

Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Vitamin E and Selenium in Thoroughbred Horses on the Concentration of F2-isoprostanes in the Blood Plasma as a Marker of Lipid Peroxidation

Helena Härtlová1, R. Rajmon1, A. Dörflerová1, L. Zita1, D. Řehák2, J. Rosmus3, M. Šindelář4, P. Klabanová1

11Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
2Institute of Animal Science Prague-Uhřiněves
3State Veterinary Institute Prague
4Private veterinary surgeon

Received June 22, 2007
Accepted June 11, 2008

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of vitamin E and selenium (Se) supplementation on the plasma levels of F2-isoprostanes as a marker of oxidative stress in horses in their training period. Twelve healthy 3-year-old English thoroughbred horses were divided into two groups: control (n = 6) and experimental (n = 6). Feeding rations were adapted to a moderate workload. The horses of the experimental group received supplements of DL-α-tocopheryl acetate E (2 250 mg/day/horse) and of sodium selenite (0.5 mg/day/horse). The plasma concentrations of both antioxidants and F2-isoprostanes were monitored on days 0, 44 and 70. After 70 days of supplementation, the concentrations of selenium in the experimental group were significantly higher (P < 0.05) compared to the beginning of the experiment (mean ± SE: 135.81 ± 10.19 μg l -1 vs. 98.70 ± 10.88 μg l -1), as well as to the control group (day 0: 101.78 ± 11.06 μg l -1, day 70: 108.18 ± 7.77 μg l -1). In the horses of the experimental group, plasma α-tocopherol levels significantly increased from the 44th day of supplementation compared to the beginning of the study as well to the control group (5.23 ± 0.52 mg l -1 vs. 2.45 ± 0.25 mg l -1 or 3.46 ± 0.34 mg l -1, respectively). The plasma concentration of F2-isoprostanes tended to be lower in the experimental group at the end than at the beginning of monitoring (156.8 ± 12.89 pg l -1 vs. 170.3 ± 60.8 pg l -1), although the control group showed the opposite trend (181.2 ± 15.67 pg l -1 vs. 137.0 ± 47.05 pg l -1). Nevertheless, none of these differences were significant because of the large variability of the individual values. It can be stated that supplementation of the diet used with selenium and vitamin E caused a non-significant decrease of F2-isoprostane concentration in the blood plasma only, and a significant increase of plasma concentrations of these antioxidants. The variation of isoprostane levels probably reflected rather the individual responses of the horses' organisms to the training workload.