Effects of sago starch content in the diet on lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activities in rats

The effects of sago starch content in diets on the status of lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activities were examined with rats fed cholesterol-free and cholesterol-enriched diets. Despite the diets with and without supplemental cholesterol, both food intake and the value of plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) showed a lower tendency or lower values in the rats fed the diet with a high ratio of sago starch as compared to a low ratio. Liver superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities, and serum and liver alpha-tocopherol concentrations were higher in the rats fed the cholesterol-free and enriched diets with a high ratio of sago starch as compared to a low ratio. From these results, it was suggested that a higher ratio of sago starch in the diet may be useful to keep the in vivo oxidative status at a lower level.