The effects of Feijoa sellowiana fruits on the antioxidant defense system, lipid peroxidation, and tissue morphology in rats

Context: The fruits of Feijoa sellowiana Berg. (Myrtaceae) have been used to treat goiter in traditional Turkish medicine. Objective: To evaluate the in vivo antioxidant activities of different polarities of the fruit extracts in blood and tissue (liver, kidney, brain, and heart) antioxidant defense systems in standard pellet diet and in high fat diet consumed, male rats were assessed. Materials and methods: The extracts (methanol, n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and aqueous) were administered orally to male rats at 50 mg/kg doses daily for 4 weeks. The blood and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, plasma nitrate (NOx) level, total triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine, cholesterol, triglyceride, protein, and glucose levels were determined, and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities; plasma antioxidant activity (AOA) were experimentally studied. Results: Blood MDA level (7.81 +/- 0.4) was significantly decreased; GSH level (29.65 +/- 1.21) and AOA (1.52 +/- 0.08) were increased in ethyl acetate extract as compared with control and the other extracts. In addition, all the extracts decreased MDA levels and increased GSH levels (except brain tissue homogenate) in the tissue homogenates. Erythrocyte SOD and CAT activity levels were unchanged in F. sellowiana extracts. However, the extracts had no effect on plasma NOx. In the histopathological examinations, any changes or damage in the vital organs were seen in animals. Conclusion: The experimental data demonstrated that F. sellowiana extracts displayed remarkable antioxidant activity and decreased lipid peroxidation in rats; furthermore, no histopathological changes or damage have been observed in the vital organs of rats.