Effects of α‐tocopherol and β‐carotene on hepatic lipid peroxidation and blood lipids in rats with dietary iron overload

Abstract The ability of dietary antioxidants to reduce lipid peroxidation induced by iron overload was examined in weanling male Sprague‐Dawley rats. Animals were fed ad libitum a modified AIN‐76A diet (control) or control diet with 0.5% α‐tocopherol acid succinate, 0.5% crystalline trans‐β‐carotene, or 0.5% α‐tocopherol acid succinate + 0.5% trans‐β‐carotene for four weeks. In the following four‐week period, the animals received the above diets with 10,000 μg Fe/g; a control group continued to receive 35 μg Fe/g, and a high‐iron group received 10,000 μg Fe/g with no antioxidants. After four weeks of dietary supplementation with α‐tocopherol, β‐carotene, or α‐tocopherol + β‐carotene, liver concentrations of α‐tocopherol and β‐carotene increased significantly (p < 0.001). Liver lipid peroxidation, measured by the lipid‐conjugated diene assay, increased significantly from 0.012 μmol/mg of lipid in the controls to 0.021 μmol/mg of lipid in animals receiving the high‐iron diet. However, lipid peroxidation was...