Total antioxidant capacity of feces of mammalian herbivores and carnivores.

The total antioxidant capacities (TAC) of feces of mammalian herbivores and carnivores were compared. TAC were estimated using three different methods: 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical (ABTS*) reduction, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH*) reduction, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). TAC of 18 herbivorous species were generally higher with respect to 16 carnivorous species [(14.21 +/- 6.72) vs. (9.45 +/- 7.32) mmol Trolox equivalents/kg feces; P < 0.05] in the FRAP assay. The ABTS* reduction assay indicated that the TAC originating from "fast" reacting antioxidants were higher in the herbivores than in carnivores [(17.92 +/- 7.18) vs. (12.22 +/- 8.5) mmol Trolox equivalents/kg feces; P < 0.05], while a reverse trend was observed for TAC originating from "slowly" reacting antioxidants [(20.68 +/- 4.85) vs. (24.68 +/- 6.87) mmol Trolox equivalents/kg feces].