Effects of Combined Supplementationof Germanium and Selenium on the AntioxidantFunction of Przewalski’s Gazelles

The Przewalski's gazelle (P.przewalskii) is a rare and endangered species endemic to China, primarily distributed in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau region.Due to the unique characteristics of the plateau environment, P. przewalskii often faces issues such as nutritional deficiencies and oxidative stress.This study focused on the differences between P. przewalskii in different areas of Qinghai Lake, revealing that P. przewalskii in the Hudong region exhibited symptoms of emaciation, sluggish movement, and lethargy, with distinct differences in body size and shape compared to those in the Bird Island region.Serum parameter analysis showed that the antioxidant function of P. przewalskii in the Bird Island region was significantly higher than that in the Hudong region (p < 0.05).The levels of germanium (Ge) and selenium (Se) in the soil, forage, and serum of P. przewalskii in the Hudong region were significantly lower than those in the Bird Island region (p < 0.05).To further evaluate the therapeutic effects of combined Ge and Se supplementation, this study designated P. przewalskii in the Bird Island region as the control group and those in the Hudong region as the experimental group.The experimental group was orally administered 5 mg/kgBWday of Ge-132 and 1 mg/kgBWday of Na 2 SeO 3 .The results showed significant improvements in antioxidant indicators (T-AOC +36.3%, MDA -50.6%) and immune indicators (IgG +29.8%,IgM +17.1%), and inflammatory factors (IL-6 -31.2%, TNF- -26.5%) were significantly reduced (p<0.05).The combined Ge-Se supplementation enhanced antioxidant function (T-AOC +5.5%, MDA -9.3%) and immunity (IgG +11.0%,IgM +9.8%) significantly more than the best individual supplement (p<0.05).After 30 days of supplementation, antioxidant indices showed no significant differences between groups (p>0.05).In conclusion, the combined application of Ge and Se demonstrated the best therapeutic effect on the antioxidant capacity of P. przewalskii.This discovery not only provided new insights for improving the habitat of P. przewalskii but also represented a significant breakthrough in the conservation efforts for rare species.