The effect of mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf extract(MLE) on oxidative stress and membrane fluidity in brain membranes of SD rats fed with 100 and 300 §·/§¸ BW/day were carried out for 6 weeks. Cholesterol accumulations resulted in a consistent decreases (4.6% and 5.6%, respectively) in brain mitochondria and microsomes of MLE-300 group compared with control group. Membrane fluidities were dose-dependently increased (2.2% and 5.1%, 5.0% and 15.2%) in brain mitochondria and microsomes of MLE-100 and MLE-300 groups compared with control group. Basal oxygen radicals(BORs) in brain mitochondria and microsomes were significantly inhibited (15.7% and 25.1%, 9.0% and 12.4%, respectively) by MLE-100 and MLE-300 groups compared with control group. Induced oxygen radicals(IORs) in brain mitochondria and microsomes were significantly inhibited (8.9% and 13.1%, 16.5% and 23.2%, respectively) by MLE-100 and MLE-300 groups compared with control group. Lipid peroxide (LPO) levels were significantly decreased (8.5% and 18.1%, 7.6% and 12.3%) in brain mitochondria and microsomes of MLE-100 and MLE-300 groups compared with control group. Oxidized protein (OP) levels were dose-dependently decreased (4.3% and 14.2%, 10.0% and 10.9%, respectively) in brain microsomes of MLE-100 and MLE-300 groups compared with control group. These results suggest that MLE may play an effective role in an attenuating an oxidative stress and increasing a membrane fluidity in brain membranes.
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