Abstract:

The effects of dietary γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on development and antioxidant ability of neonates of heat-stressed rats were investigated. Fifty-two rats aged 90 days, thirteen-nine females and thirteen males, were the experimental subjects. Twenty-seven pregnant rats were randomly divided into three groups after mating: the control group, the heat-stressed group and the GABA heat-stressed group. The development indices and hepatic antioxidant indices of 1 d neonates were measured. The results showed that tail lengths of the female and male neonates from the heat-stressed group fed with basal diet were both decreased very significantly (P＜0.01) compared with that of the control group, while the hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) contents increased slightly, activities of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) decreased slightly. Compared with the heat-stressed pregnant rats fed with basal diet, tail lengths of the female (P＜0.01)and male (P＜0.05) neonates from the GABA group, but MDA contents decreased slightly and activities of GSH-Px, SOD increased slightly. The results indicated that GABA could improve anti-heat-stress ability in neonatal rats under heat stress condition during pregnancy.