VITAMIN-E-SUPPLEMENTED DIETS REDUCE LIPID-PEROXIDATION BUT DO NOT ALTER EITHER PITUITARY-ADRENAL, GLUCOSE, AND LACTATE RESPONSES TO IMMOBILIZATION STRESS OR GASTRIC-ULCERATION

It has been suggested that antioxidant administration to rats would reduce the physiological response to stress. In the present experiment adult male rats were given diets supplemented with vitamin E for one or seven days before they were subjected to immobilization stress. Vitamin E administration reduced hepatic and gastric lipid peroxidation in unstressed rats but did not modify the pituitary-adrenal, glucose and lactose responses to I or 18 h immobilization. Similarly, gastric ulceration caused by 18 h immobilization was unaffected by the diets. These results indicate that the inhibition of lipid peroxidation does not modify the response of several, well-known, stress-markers in the rat. © 1990 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted.