The Antioxidant Properties of Lutein Efficiently Mitigate the Cadmium-Induced Oxidative Stress through Restoring the Oxidant: Antioxidant Balance and Enhancing the Total Antioxidative Capacity in Wistar Rats

Lutein is a xanthophyll carotenoid existing in dark green vegetables. The objective of this study is to test the antioxidant properties of Lutein and evaluate its efficiency in mitigating the cadmium-induced oxidative stress. Eighty experimental rats were randomly allotted into four groups (n=20 each): an untreated control group (Group 1), a lutein-treated group (Group 2), a cadmium-exposed group (Group 3), and a cadmium-lutein group (Group 4). Group 2 rats received daily oral doses of lutein at 200 mg/kg body weight and those in Group 3 were given an aqueous solution of cadmium chloride at a final concentration of 5 mg/kg b.w. per day. Rats in Group 4 were treated with both lutein and cadmium chloride. The haematological and biochemical profiles of the cadmium-exposed rats (Group 3) showed significant alterations compared to the untreated control. The biochemical assessments of the lutein-treated rats (Group 2) exhibited no significant changes compared to the untreated control. Rats in Group 4 (exposed to cadmium and treated with lutein) exhibited increased levels of total proteins and significant increases in the antioxidant markers, including total thiols, glutathione, total antioxidant capacity (TAC), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and catalase. Additionally, this group demonstrated significant decrements in the blood cadmium levels, the oxidation markers (H2O2 and malondialdehyde), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urea, and bilirubin compared to the cadmium group (Group 3). Tissue homogenates prepared from the liver and kidneys of Group 4 rats exhibited parallel results to those demonstrated by the serum biochemical assay. Based on the present results, it could be concluded that the antioxidant properties of lutein significantly alleviate the cadmium-induced oxidative stress.