Effects of nutritional supplement of ginger root on antioxidant status in sheep

Abstract

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a medicinal plant and pungent food spice, which has antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ginger on antioxidant status of blood in healthy sheep. In this study, dried ginger root powder was added to the ration of 10 male yearling sheep (treatment group), at the rate of 1g/head/day for a period of 2 months. In the second group (n = 10 sheep), a single dose of vitamin E+selenium injection was administered intramuscularly (positive control group) and the control group (n=10 sheep) received no medication or special additives. Blood samples were collected regularly at 2 week intervals and enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT) and total antioxidant levels were measured. Ginger increased total antioxidant capacity of serum and blood levels of SOD, GPX and CAT, which was significant compared to the control group (p

Keywords

• Antioxidants
• Ginger
• Blood
• sheep