The Comparative Antioxidant Capabilities from Vitamin C and Betanin on The Liver and Renal for Reducing Oxidative Stress Damage: An Animal Experimental Study

Abstract

Formaldehyde is a hazardous chemical substance that can be found commonly in the environment which has various effects and could induce the production of pro-oxidant substances inside the body. When the concentration of pro-oxidant substances is higher than the concentration of antioxidant substances, it could induce the occurrence of oxidative stress. During oxidative stress, antioxidant play an important role to neutralized harmful effect of free radicals and minimized cellular changes, for examples vitamin C and betanin. The study was conducted to test the differences in the protective effects of vitamin C and betaine on the liver and the kidney after long-term exposure to oxidative stress. The study used rats as experimental media by giving exposure to formaldehyde that is known to induce oxidative stress. The rats were exposed to formaldehyde 6 hours a day for 12 weeks while being given water, vitamin C, and betanin interventions. After 12 weeks of treatments, histopathological examinations were assessed in the liver and kidney organs to compare the protective effects of vitamin C and betanin in those 2 different organs. The results of histopathological examinations revealed that there is a difference in the response to antioxidant therapy between vitamin C and betaine to the liver and kidneys.