Oxidative-antioxidant status of Fasciola hepatica-infected rats supplemented with zinc. A mathematical model for zinc bioaccumulation and host growth.

The oxidative-antioxidant status of male Wistar rats infected or uninfected with Fasciola hepatica (Trematoda) and supplemented or unsupplemented with 2Gly.ZnCl(2).2H(2)O was tested through liver biomarkers. The oxidative marker was malondialdehyde concentration. The antioxidant markers were glutathione peroxidase activity and concentrations of zinc, selenium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E. The animals were allocated into four groups. The experiment covered 8 weeks post infection. The gain in the host body weight and rats' mortality were also studied. A mathematical model was elaborated to describe the kinetics of concentrations of liver zinc. The kinetic parameters calculated reflect the peculiarities in zinc absorption in different conditions. Also, a model was proposed for the time course of host body weight. The model solutions were in good agreement with the experimental data. The supplementation of the rats with dietary Zn improved their antioxidant status. Increases by 9% in GPX activity, 6% in Vitamin A concentration, 3% in Vitamin C concentration, 35% in Vitamin E concentration, 17% in liver Zn concentration, and 11% in liver Se concentration, respectively, and a decrease by 30% in liver MDA concentration were recorded in the infected and supplemented towards infected and unsupplemented rats. Also, an increase by 6% in body weight in supplemented animals was established.