FOOD SCIENCE ›› 2011, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (5 ): 244-248.doi: 10.7506/spkx1002-6630-201105052

• Nutrition & Hygiene • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effect of Propolis and Iron Supplements on Iron Status in Blood of Exercise Rats and Antioxidant Function of Propolis

CHE Li-long1，LIU Jun2，LIU Xian-dong2，SHEN Min-jie2，GU Xiao-ming2，XIE Yang2，XU Hua-xi1，XIAO De-sheng1   

  1. 1. School of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China；
    2. School of Clinical Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212001, China
  • Received:2010-06-17 Revised:2011-01-19 Online:2011-03-15 Published:2011-03-03
  • Contact: CHE Li-long1 E-mail:cll8880@163.com

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Abstract: Objective: To explore the effects of propolis and iron supplements on iron status and free radical content in blood of exercise rats, and to investigate the antioxidative protection of propolis on oxidative damage derived from exercise and/or iron supplement. Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley male rats aged 3 months were randomly divided into 5 groups of 8 each: control group (C group), exercise group (E group), exercise plus iron supplement group (EI group), exercise plus propolis supplement group (EP group) and exercise plus supplement with iron and propolis group (EIP group). The rats were subjected to treadmill training with an incremental loading for 6 weeks. Red blood cell indices including red blood cell count (RBC) and hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (Hct), plasma iron status including plasma iron (PI) and total iron binding capacity, and serum MDA and SOD contents of rats were measured. Results: Compared with C group, a significantly lower level of red blood cell indices, iron status and SOD, and an obvious higher level of MDA were observed in E group. Compared with E group, a significantly higher level of red blood cell indices and iron status was observed in rats from EI, EP and EIP groups; meanwhile, MDA content in rats from EI group was higher than that in E group; SOD content in rats from EI group was lower than that in E group. MDA content of rats in EP and EIP groups was lower than that in E group and SOD content of rats in EP and EIP groups was higher than that in E group. MDA content in rats from EIP group was lower than that in EI group and SOD content in rats from EIP group were higher than that in EI group. No significant difference between EP and EIP groups was also observed. Conclusion: Iron supplement can increase the risk of oxidative stress in spite of improving anemia symptom and lower iron status of exercise rats. Propolis can effectively improve the ability of organism to scavenge free radicals, reduce lipid peroxidation, and enhance antioxidant function. Therefore, propolis can improve the exercise-induced or iron-deficient anemia. 

Key words: propolis, iron supplement, exercise rats, iron status, antioxidation

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