Dietary sesame seeds elevate alpha-tocopherol concentration in rat brain

• Published in: Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology Vol. 51; no. 4; pp. 223 - 230
• Main Authors: Abe, C.(Nagoya Univ. of Arts and Sciences, Nisshin (Japan)), Ikeda, S, Yamashita, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Center for Academic Publications Japan 01.08.2005
• Subjects: alpha-Tocopherol - administration & dosage; alpha-Tocopherol - analysis; Animals; Biochemistry and metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; BRAIN; Brain - metabolism; Brain Chemistry; Brain Stem - chemistry; Central nervous system; Cerebellum - chemistry; CEREBRO; Diet; ENCEPHALE; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hippocampus - chemistry; LIPID PEROXIDATION; Liver - chemistry; Male; PEROXIDACION LIPIDICA; PEROXYDATION DES LIPIDES; RAT; RATA; RATS; Rats, Wistar; Seeds; SESAME; sesame seeds; SESAMO; Sesamum; Telencephalon - chemistry; Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances - analysis; TOCOFEROLES; TOCOPHEROL; TOCOPHEROLS; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; α-tocopherol; Rat; Rodentia; Central nervous system; Vitamin; Lipids; α-Tocopherol; Concentration; Antioxidant; brain; lipid peroxidation; Feeding; Encephalon; Sesame seed; Vertebrata; sesame seeds; Mammalia; Animal; Peroxidation
• ISSN: 0301-4800; 1881-7742
• DOI: 10.3177/jnsv.51.223

We have previously reported that dietary sesame lignan elevates alpha-tocopherol concentration and decreases lipid peroxidation in tissues and serum of rats fed alpha-tocopherol. In this study, the effect of dietary sesame seeds on alpha-tocopherol concentration and lipid peroxidation in rat brain was examined. In experiment 1, male Wistar rats (4 wk old) were fed a vitamin E-free diet, or a diet containing alpha-tocopherol with or without sesame seeds for 1, 4 and 8 wk. The dietary sesame seeds elevated the alpha-tocopherol and lowered the thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS) concentrations in the brain of the rats fed alpha-tocopherol for 4 and 8 wk. The dietary sesame seeds maintained the high alpha-tocopherol concentration in the brain during the experimental period, while the concentration of the rats fed alpha-tocopherol without sesame seeds was lowered after 8 wk. Then, the alpha-tocopherol concentration in various regions of the brain of rats fed a basal level of alpha-tocopherol with sesame seeds was compared with that of rats fed an excess amount of alpha-tocopherol in experiment 2. The alpha-tocopherol concentration in the cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem and hippocampus of the rats fed 50 mg alpha-tocopherol/kg with sesame seeds was higher than those of the rats fed 500 mg alpha-tocopherol/kg without sesame seeds. These results suggest that the dietary sesame seeds are more useful than the intake of an excess amount of alpha-tocopherol, for maintaining a high alpha-tocopherol concentration and inhibiting lipid peroxidation in the various regions of the rat brain.