Study Of Interaction of Glutathione, Vitamin C and Vitamin E Under Hyperbaric Oxygen

In order to study the interaction of glutathione, vitamin C and vitamin E under hyperoxia (95 % oxygen) and hyperbaric oxygen (2.5 atmospheric pressure), 20 days old male Guinea pigs were fed with basal vitamin C free diet, while receiving a vitamin C supplement of either high concentration (50 mg/day) or low concentration (1 mg/day) for two weeks. Animals were than exposed to hyperoxia and hyperbaric oxygen for seven months period. They were killed and livers were extracted for reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione; alpha and gamma tocopherol; total, reduced and oxidized vitamin C analysis by HPLC. Concentrations of liver total, reduced vitamin C and reduced C/oxidized C ratio in Guinea pigs under high dietary vitamin C supplements and exposure to hyperoxia and hyperbaric oxygen were significantly higer than respected values for animals receiving low vitamin C supplements (P < 0. 05). The concentration of alpha and gamma tocopherol were not statistically different under either high or low vitamin C levels. However liver reduced glutathione in Guinea pigs receiving low vitamin C supplement under hyperoxia and hyperbaric oxygen (o.667 ±0.123 ,µm GSH/mg protein) was significantly higher than respected value (0.384±0.130 ,µm GSH/mg protein) in control group (P<0.05). This significant difference may imply to a positive interaction between vitamin C and glutathione in antioxidative activity under chronic hyperoxia and hyperbaric oxygen stress.