Changes in the Prooxidant-antioxidant System of Rat Hearts Under the Complex Influence of Food Additives and Their Correction with Melatonin

Abstract

This study presents the results of research on changes in the prooxidant-antioxidant system of rat hearts under the combined effect of food additives and the correction of pathological shifts with melatonin. It was established that the complex influence of sodium glutamate, the synthetic dye Ponceau 4R, and sodium nitrite leads to an increase in lipid peroxidation products in heart homogenates and multidirectional changes in the antioxidant defence system. Initially, these changes manifest as an increase in enzyme activity, followed by a decrease, indicating the development of oxidative stress and the depletion of the enzymatic component of the antioxidant system, with damage mechanisms prevailing over protective mechanisms. The administration of melatonin during the last ten days of the study contributed to a reduction in lipid peroxidation processes and improved the balance of the prooxidant-antioxidant system. Thus, exogenous melatonin is a potentially useful agent for correcting oxidative stress in the myocardium.