Antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes status of rats fed on n-3 PUFA rich Garden cress (Lepidium Sativum L) seed oil and its blended oils

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum L) seed oil (GCO)
is a rich source of α-linolenic acid (ALA, 33.6 %) and the oil
has a fairly balanced SFA, MUFA and PUFA ratio. In this
study we have investigated the effect of GCO and its blends
with n-6 PUFA rich edible vegetable oils sunflower oil (SFO),
rice bran oil (RBO) and sesame oil (SESO) on antioxidant
status of oils and antioxidative enzymes in Wistar rats.
Physical blending of GCO with n-6 PUFA rich vegetable oils
(SFO, RBO and SESO) increased content of natural antioxidants
such as tocopherols, oryzanol and lignans, decreased the
n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio and improved the radical scavenging
activity of blended oils. Dietary feeding of GCO and its
blended oils for 60 days, increased the tocopherols levels
(12.2–21.6 %) and activity of antioxidant enzymes namely
catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), but did not affect the
activity of glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase
(SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in liver compared
to native oil fed rats. Thus, blending of GCO with other
vegetable oil decreased n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio (>2.0) and dietary
feeding of GCO blended oils increased the antioxidant status
and activity of antioxidant enzymes (catalase and GPx) in
experimental rats.