Effect of subchronic administration of antioxidants against cigarette smoke exposure in rats

Effects of subchronic administration of antioxidants against pulmonary damage mediated by cigarette smoke were investigated in rats. Rats were continuously received ascorbic acid, N-acetylcysteine and ginseng extract together drinking water from day 25 after birth. After 30 days of antioxidant supplementation, rats were exposed to cigarette smoke generated from six cigarettes (11 mg tar) for 20 min per day throughout 30 days, and then several biochemical markers related to the redox status in vivo were analyzed in the respiratory system. The cigarette smoke induced mild histological changes in trachea and lungs. The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the lung was significantly increased, and catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities were increased less than SOD, but total sulfhydryl compounds (Total-SH) content was decreased by cigarette smoking. In spite of the increase in activities of antioxidant enzymes, the inhibitory capacity of lung preparations on in vitro lipid peroxidation using ox brain homogenates was decreased and the change in the capacity was not related to the changes of these intracellular enzymes activities, but with the content of Total-SH. On the other hand, the content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and the ratio of elastase to anti-protease in the lung homogenates were significantly increased. Supplementation of antioxidants, however, effectively attenuated all of such alterations induced by cigarette smoke. These results indicate that although cigarette smoking induces antioxidant enzymes in the lung as a self defense mechanism, it seems to be not sufficient to protect the pulmonary system, and that chronic antioxidant feeding could be effective to reduce pulmonary damage induced by free radicals.