Postnatal efficacy of antioxidants in the detoxification pathway of suckling neonates and lactating mice

This study evaluates the comparative efficacy of antioxidant vitamins (ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol) and non-vitamin antioxidants (glutathione, cysteine and l-2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylate (OTZ)) in modulating the detoxification pathway of lactating dams and suckling murine pups. In dams, 100 mg/kg b.w./day treatment of each of the vitamin and non-vitamin antioxidants induced a significant increase in the hepatic level of acid soluble sulfhydryl (-SH) compared to the modulating efficiency of OTZ, glutathione and α-tocopherol in the kidney tissue. In the liver and kidney tissues of suckling pups OTZ and α-tocopherol were effective in modulating the -SH level. A statistically significant increase in the hepatic glutathione-S-transferase (GST) level was observed by OTZ, glutathione and α-tocopherol, while only OTZ was effective in the kidney tissue of dams and pups. In the murine system, the modulation of cellular GST/GSH status, specifically by OTZ, α-tocopherol and interacting antioxidant pool, may potentially ameliorate the pathophysiology of oxidative stress.