Abstract
This study was designed to investigate the effects of silkworm(Bombyx moril L.) powder on oxidative stress and membrane fluidity in brain membranes of rats. Sprague-Dawley(SD) male rats(160$\pm$10 g) were fed basic diet(control group), and experimental diets(SWP-200 and SWP-400 groups) added 200 and 400mg/kg BW/day for 6 weeks. There were no significant differences in cholesterol levels of brain memberanes by administration of silkworm powder (SWP). Membrane fluidities were significantly increased(21.5% and 30.8%, respectively) in brain mitochondria of SWP-200 and SWP-400 groups compared with control group, but significant difference between brain microsomes could not obtained. Basal oxygen radicals (BORs) in brain mitochondria and mircrosomes were significantly inhibited(8.5% and 16.5%, 16.8%and 24.8%, respectively) by SWP-200 and SEP-400 groups compared with control group. Induced oxygen radicals(IORs) in brain mitochondria were significantly inhibited(16.6% and 21.4%, respectively)by sWP-200 and SWP-400 groups compared with control group, but IOR in brain microsome were significantly inhibited about 16.0% by SWP-400 groups only compared with control group. Lipid peroxide(LPO) levels were significantly decreaed(14.8%and 22.4%, respectively) in brain mitochondria of SWP-200 and SWP-400 groups compared with control group, but LPO level was significantly decreased about 16.0% in brain microsome of SWP-400 group only. Oxidized protein(OP) levels were remarkably decreased(about 14.8% and 16.5%, respectively) in brain mitochondria of SWP-200 and SWP-400 groups, but OP level was significantly decreased about 13.0% in brain microsome of SWP-400 group only compared with control group, Theses results suggest that administration of in brain microsome of SWP-400 group only compared with control group. These results suggest that administration of SWP may play effective role in attenuating an oxidative stress and increasing a membrane fluidity in brain membranes.
