Journal
TOHOKU JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE
Volume 224, Issue 3, Pages 209-213Publisher
TOHOKU UNIV MEDICAL PRESS
DOI: 10.1620/tjem.224.209
Keywords
catalase; glutathione peroxidase; L-carnitine; superoxide dismutase; total antioxidative capacity
Funding
- Chinese national key technology RD programme
- medical science technology programme of Shandong Province
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L-carnitine has been used as a supplement to treat cardiovascular or liver disease. However, there has been little information about the effect of L-carnitine on anti-oxidation capability in healthy human subjects. This study was designed to investigate the correlation between plasma L-carnitine concentration and antioxidant activity. Liquid L-carnitine (2.0 g) was administered orally as a single dose in 12 healthy subjects. Plasma concentration of L-carnitine was detected by HPLC. The baseline concentration of L-carnitine was 39.14 +/- 5.65 mu mol/L. After single oral administration, the maximum plasma concentration (C-max) and area under the curve (AUC(0-infinity)) were 84.7 +/- 25.2 mu mol/L and 2,676.4 +/- 708.3 mu mol/L.h, respectively. The half-life and the time required to reach the C-max was 60.3 +/- 15.0 min and 3.4 +/- 0.46 h, respectively. There was a gradual increase in plasma concentrations of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase and total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) in the first 3.5 h following L-carnitine administration. The plasma concentrations of SOD, GSH-Px, catalase and T-AOC returned to baseline levels within 24 h. A positive correlation was found between L-carnitine concentration and the antioxidant index of SOD (r = 0.992, P < 0.01), GSH-Px (r = 0.932, P < 0.01), catalase (r = 0.972, P < 0.01) or T-AOC (r = 0.934, P < 0.01). In conclusion, L-carnitine increases activities of antioxidant enzymes and the total antioxidant capacity in healthy subjects. It may be useful as a supplementary therapy for chronic illnesses involving excessive oxidative stress.
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