Effects of taurine and homocysteine on lipid profile and oxidative stress in fructose-fed rats

Consumption of large doses of fructose have been associated with numerous metabolic abnormalities in human beings and laboratory animals. Homocysteine is believed to enhance oxidative stress while taurine has hypolipidemic effect. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of taurine and homocysteine on the oxidative stress and lipid profile in rats receiving a high fructose-containing diet.
Material and In this experimental study, forty male adult Wistar rats were divided in to 5 groups. Our control group (group 1) received a normal chow. The diets of the second to fifth groups were as following: Group 2: A high fructose containing diet
Group 3: A high fructose containing diet homocysteine thiolactate (50mg/kg /day)
Group 4: A high fructose containing diet taurine (2%)
Groups 5: A high fructose containing diet homocysteine thiolactate (50mg/kg /day) taurine (2%)
All the groups received the above mentioned diet for six-weeks. At the end of the experimental period, total antioxidant capacity, triglycerides, HDL, LDL, and total cholesterol of the plasma were measured. Activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase and level of malondialdehyde were measured in the heart and kidney tissues of the rats.
Fructose alone or in addition to homocysteine significantly reduced total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase activities, while the levels of triglycerides and malondialdehyde increased. Taurine suppressed or attenuated these changes.
The results of this study confirmed the role of high fructose containing diet in inducing oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia. We also found that use of homocysteine deteriorated the effects of high fructose containing diet. In contrast taurine had beneficial effects and suppressed fructose induced-oxidative stress and hypertriglyceridemia.