Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Stored blood is continuously exposed to oxidative stress, which affects its antioxidant protective system. Erythrocytes are naturally armed with antioxidant protective capacity. Blood antioxidant system functions to protect the blood cells against oxidative damage by free radicals. However, during storage, blood is continuously exposed to oxidative stress, which affects its antioxidant system. The aim of this work was to investigate alteration in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, reduced glutathione (glutathione reductase [GSH-Rd]), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in stored donkey blood. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Blood (250 ml) was drawn from four clinically healthy donkeys into citrate phosphate dextrose adenine 1 blood bags and preserved at 4°C. MDA, GSH-Rd, CAT, and SOD activities were assayed by colorimetric methods, over a period of 42 days. RESULTS: The result showed that SOD enzyme activities significantly (p<0.05) increased by day 7 post-storage (PS) while MDA levels significantly (p<0.05) increased by day 21 PS. However, activities of GSH-Rd and CAT enzymes decreased (p<0.05) by day 21 PS. Pearson's product-moment correlation showed a negative correlation between the levels of MDA and enzymatic antioxidant markers (CAT and GSH-Rd). CONCLUSION: The findings revealed that GSH-Rd and CAT are the primary antioxidant defense markers in donkey red blood cells. The observed alterations in these principal antioxidants suggest a 14days optimum keeping time of donkey blood for blood banking purposes.