Ginger-supplemented diet ameliorates ammonium nitrate-induced oxidative stress in rats

Abstract

The present study was designed to evaluate the capacity of ginger to repair the oxidative stress induced by ammonium nitrate. 50 male rats were divided into 5 groups; they underwent an oral treatment of ammonium nitrate and/or ginger (N mg/kg body weight + G% in diet) during 30 days. Group I served as control (C); group II (G) received a diet with 2% of ginger; group III (N) received a toxic dose of ammonium nitrate and normal diet; group IV (NG) received a toxic dose of ammonium nitrate and a diet containing 2% ginger and group V (N + G) received a highly toxic dose of ammonium nitrate and an experimental diet containing 2% ginger. The treatment by ammonium nitrate was found to elicit a rise in blood biochemical parameters, a disorder in hematological parameters and significant decrease in the tissue glutathione level. Feeding ginger supplemented diets to ammonium nitrate treated rats restored all the parameters studied compared to the controls. These findings suggest that ginger treatment exerts a protective effect on metabolic disorders by decreasing oxidative stress.