Effects of a moderate iron overload and its interaction with yacon flour, and/or phytate, in the diet on liver antioxidant enzymes and hepatocyte apoptosis in rats.

The effect of moderate Fe overload in the diet and its interaction with phytate, and/or yacon flour (YF), recognized as an inhibitor, and facilitator, of Fe absorption, respectively, was evaluated in healthy rats. For this purpose the following parameters were analyzed: (1) apparent iron (Fe), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) absorption; (2) blood Fe; (3) blood lipids (cholesterol, tryacylglicerol); (4) blood AST and ALT; (5) liver histology (histopathology, hemosiderin depots, apoptosis index; (6) liver fatty acid incorporation; (7) liver antioxidant enzyme activity. Moderate Fe overload may cause change in some liver markers (hemosiderin depots, apoptosis index and GPx) and blood lipids (total cholesterol and VLDL) and the interaction with yacon flour, and phytate, in the Fe overloaded diets may exert a protective effect on these alterations.