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ABSTRACT
High salt-intake is associated with oxidative stress and vascular endothelia dysfunction independent of blood pressure due to increase in superoxide free radical production and decrease in antioxidant capacity which can lead to damage in blood vessels. The present study examined the role of exercise and antioxidants supplementation in mitigating vascular peroxidation and oxidative stress in aortic and carotid arterial blood vessels of salt -loaded Sprague-dawley rats. Sixty-four (64) Sprague-dawley rats were randomly separated into eight groups consisting of (8) rats in each group. Group 1, (control), received normal rat chow containing 0.3% NaCl and tap water ad libitum. Group 2, received rat chow containing 8% NaCl and tap water for six weeks [(salt-loaded rats (SLRs)]. Group 3 SLRs + vitamin C (100 mg/kgbw). Group 4, SLRs + kolaviron (200 mg/kgbw). Group 5, SLRs + Lisinopril (2.3 mg/kgbw). Group 6, pre-exercised for 8 weeks + 8% NaCl. Group 7, pre-exercised for 8 weeks + 8% NaCl + Kolaviron (200 mg/kgbw). Group 8- pre-exercised for 8 weeks + 8% NaCl + Vitamin C (100 mg/kgbw). After six weeks feeding period and administration by oral gavage, the aorta and carotid arteries were carefully harvested, cleaned of connective tissues following anaesthesia with chloroform gas. Vascular homogenate was prepared from the aliquot tissues of aortic and carotid arterial segments to assay for malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) oxidative stress biomarkers. The results showed that salt-loading induced vascular oxidative stress evidenced by significant increase in MDA level (p<0.0001), but significant decrease in SOD (p<0.0001), CAT (p<0.0001), and GPx (p<0.0001) levels compared with the control. Exercise and antioxidants supplements with vitamin C and kolaviron significantly attenuated vascular oxidative stress induction; whereas exercise in combination with kolaviron worked synergistically to prevent alterations in vascular antioxidant homeostasis in salt loaded rats in both aortic and carotid arterial blood vessels. In conclusion salt-loading causes oxidative stress in arterial blood vessels independent of hypertension. Exercise and antioxidant supplementation could be effective prophylactic factors in mitigation of vascular damage in salt loaded rats.
