Aim: Experimental researches on the effects of a Cetraria islandica extract, with or without magnesium association, on oxidative stress in rats.
Material and methods: The experiments were carried out on Wistar rats, treated intraperitoneally for 14 days at single daily dose as follows: Group 1: Saline solution (SS) (0.5 ml/100g bw/day); Group 2: Subcutaneous pellets, SS; Group 3: Levamisole (LEV) (10mg/kbw/day); Group 4: Subcutaneous pellets, LEV; Group 5: Prednison (PDN) (5mg/kbw/day); Group 6: Subcutaneous pellets, PDN; Group 7: MgSO4 (5mg/kbw/day); Group 8: Subcutaneous pellets, MgSO4; Group 9: C. islandica (Ci) extract (21.56mg/kbw/day); Group 10: Subcutaneous pellets, Ci; Group 11: Ci+MgSO4; Group 12: Subcutaneous pellets, Ci+MgSO4. At the end of the experiment blood samples were collected for assessing the following oxidative stress parameters: malonaldehyde, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione levels.
Results: In the rats with or without experimentally-induced granuloma, repeated administration of Ci for 14 days resulted in a decrease of malonaldehyde, catalase, glutathione peroxidase activity, and an increase in glutathione levels. The association of magnesium augmented the antioxidant effect of Ci in this experimental model.
Conclusions: In our study experimental conditions C. islandica extract determined adaptogenic-antistress effects, confirmed by its actions on oxidative stress parameters.