Carnosine modulates stress-attenuated plasma antioxidative capacity

Abstract

Oral administration of carnosine (ß-alanyl-L-histidine) in mice treated with restraint stress moderately alleviated a stress-induced decrease in plasma oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) activity (P = 0.075). Carnosine treatment also increased the level of plasma glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid compared with those in the restraint stress mice. Carnosine and related compounds anserine, histidine and histamine exhibited ORAC activity in vitro, while ß-alanine was not effective. These results suggest that carnosine exerts a protective effect against the stress-induced elevation of the oxidative level in plas-ma.