In Vivo Antioxidant Effects Evaluation of Genetically Modified Astaxanthin-Rich Maize

Astaxanthin-rich maize has been developed through genetic modification as a potential dietary source of astaxanthin. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional components and the antioxidant effects of astaxanthin-rich maize. The antioxidant effects were assessed from a 60-day feeding experiment with 9-month-old male SD rats. The results showed that the content of astaxanthin in astaxanthin-rich maize was 24.91 μg/g. Compared with rats fed conventional feed or parental maize, those fed astaxanthin-rich maize showed higher serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH) (p < 0.05). Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) in the astaxanthin-rich maize group was lower than that in the conventional feed group (p < 0.05). Liver protein carbonyl and MDA in the astaxanthin-rich maize group were lower than those in the conventional feed group (p < 0.05). Liver SOD activity, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and GSH level in the astaxanthin-rich maize groups were higher than those in the conventional feed group or the parental maize group (p < 0.05). The astaxanthin-rich maize showed positive antioxidant effects in several indicators. In the future, antioxidant evaluations of the astaxanthin-rich maize need to be conducted over a broader concentration range and using more oxidative stress indicators.