Protective Effect of Dunaliella bardawil on Water-Immersion-Induced Stress in Rats

Abstract

The functional activity of a natural isomer mixture as compared with synthetic all-trans β-carotene in rats was investigated in a rat model produced by water-immersion restraint stress. Five-week-old male rats were fed diets supplemented with synthetic all-trans β-carotene, dry Dunaliella bardawil, and purified natural β-carotene from D. bardawil at equivalent levels of β-carotene. After the rats were fed diets containing up to 0.1% β-carotene for 2 weeks, they were restrained in a wire cage and immersed in a 23°C water bath for 20 h. Liver analyses indicated that rats showed higher accumulations of the algal β-carotene isomer mixture than of the synthetic all-trans β-carotene. Dunaliella bardawil and purified natural β-carotene significantly decreased the gastric mucosal lesions. Synthetic β-carotene did not decrease the lesions. These results suggest that the gastric cytoprotective effect of β-carotene depends on the amount of β-carotene accumulated in the body.

Key words

Dunaliella bardawil - natural β-carotene - gastric cytoprotective effect - liver storage - 9-cis-β-carotene