The effect of α-tocopherol, sweet chestnut wood extract and their combination on oxidative stress in vivo and the oxidative stability of meat in broilers

1. This study examined the effect of -tocopherol (-T), sweet chestnut wood extract (SCW) and their combination on oxidative stress invivo and oxidative stability of meat in broilers given diets rich in PUFA. 2. A total of 60 male broilers were individually caged and divided into 6 groups of 10. The C-PALM group received a diet with 7 center dot 5% palm fat and the other 5 groups with 7 center dot 5% linseed oil. The linseed oil groups were either un-supplemented (C-LIN) or supplemented with -T or/and SCW as follows: T-85 (C-LIN diet+68IU vit E as all-rac--T/kg), T-200 (C-LIN diet+183IU vit E as all-rac--T/kg), SCW (C-LIN diet+3g SCW/kg) and T-SCW (C-LIN diet+68IU vit E as all-rac--T/kg+3g SCW/kg). Different parameters of oxidative stress were measured. 3. Linseed oil induced DNA fragmentation and malondialdehyde (MDA) formation, while -T reduced both parameters, and SCW reduced the DNA damage. A combination (T-SCW) also reduced plasma MDA. Larger antioxidant capacity of lipid soluble compounds were recorded in groups T-85, T-200 and T-SCW than in the controls but there were no differences between these groups in antioxidant enzymes and total antioxidant status. A combination (T-SCW) increased tocopherol concentrations in breast muscle and in comparison to the C-LIN group MDA concentrations were reduced in groups T-85, T-200 and T-SCW. 4. It can be concluded that neither of the -T concentrations were able to prevent all the negative effects of lipid oxidation invivo and only high concentrations of -T improved the stability of meat. With the exception of DNA damage, SCW had no impact on invivo and invitro measured markers of oxidative stress but may have a sparing or regenerating effect on -T.