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Z. Naturforsch.
69c, 165 – 169
(2014)
doi:10.5560/ZNC.2013-0086
Total Antioxidant Capacity of Feces of Mammalian Herbivores and Carnivores
1 Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, University of Rzeszów, ul. Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601 Rzeszów, Poland. Fax: +48 17 7822514. E-mail:
isadowska@poczta.fm
2 Department of Molecular Biophysics, University of Łódź, ul. Pomorska 141/143, 90-236 Łódź, Poland
3 Department of Teacher Training and Biological Diversity Studies, University of Łódź, ul. Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland
*Author for correspondence and reprint requests
Received May 4, 2013 / January 7, 2014 / published online April 2, 2014
The total antioxidant capacities (TAC) of feces of mammalian herbivores and carnivores were compared. TAC were estimated using three different methods: 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical (ABTS•) reduction, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH•) reduction, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). TAC of 18 herbivorous species were generally higher with respect to 16 carnivorous species [(14.21 ± 6.72) vs. (9.45 ± 7.32) mmol Trolox equivalents/kg feces; P < 0.05] in the FRAP assay. The ABTS• reduction assay indicated that the TAC originating from “fast” reacting antioxidants were higher in the herbivores than in carnivores [(17.92 ± 7.18) vs.
(12.22 ± 8.5) mmol Trolox equivalents/kg feces; P < 0.05], while a reverse trend was observed for TAC originating from “slowly” reacting antioxidants [(20.68 ± 4.85) vs. (24.68 ± 6.87) mmol Trolox equivalents/kg feces].
Key words: Antioxidant, Feces, Total Antioxidant Capacity