Vitamin C and E Supplements Enhance the Antioxidant Capacity of Erythrocytes Obtained from Aged Rats

Background/Aims: The main purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of vitamin C and E supplements on the antioxidant capacity of erythrocytes obtained from young and aged rats. Methods: Male Wistar rats aged 3 and 24 months were used. Vitamins C and E were injected at doses of 200 mg/kg (day) intraperitoneally in young and aged groups. The antioxidant capacity, oxidant stress parameters, and deformability of red blood cells collected from different age stages were evaluated. An in vitro oxidation system was constructed to explore the mechanisms of antioxidant capacity change in the vitamin treatment groups. Results: Treatment with vitamins C and E can effectively restore the antioxidant capacity and deformability of red blood cells (RBCs) in aged rats. Under in vitro oxidative conditions, an age-dependent decline in the influx rate of L-cysteine was observed. This was significantly improved following treatment with vitamins C and E. Conclusion: We present evidence of an improvement in the antioxidant capacity of RBCs by treatment with vitamins C and E in aged rats. These observations also suggest that treatment with vitamins C and E improves glutathione synthesis by enhancing the influx rate of L-cysteine through the modification of membrane proteins and lipids.