Background and Aim: Stored blood is continuously exposed to oxidative stress, which affects its antioxidant protective system. Erythrocytes are naturally armed with antioxidant protective capacity. Blood antioxidant system functions to protect the blood cells against oxidative damage by free radicals. However, during storage, blood is continuously exposed to oxidative stress, which affects its antioxidant system. The aim of this work was to investigate alteration in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, reduced glutathione (glutathione reductase [GSH-Rd]), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities in stored donkey blood. Materials and Methods: Blood (250 ml) was drawn from four clinically healthy donkeys into citrate phosphate dextrose adenine 1 blood bags and preserved at 4°C. MDA, GSH-Rd, CAT, and SOD activities were assayed by colorimetric methods, over a period of 42 days. Results: The result showed that SOD enzyme activities significantly (p<0.05) increased by day 7 post-storage (PS) while MDA levels significantly (p<0.05) increased by day 21 PS. However, activities of GSH-Rd and CAT enzymes decreased (p<0.05) by day 21 PS. Pearson's product-moment correlation showed a negative correlation between the levels of MDA and enzymatic antioxidant markers (CAT and GSH-Rd). Conclusion: The findings revealed that GSH-Rd and CAT are the primary antioxidant defense markers in donkey red blood cells. The observed alterations in these principal antioxidants suggest a 14 days optimum keeping time of donkey blood for blood banking purposes.

Background: To investigate the protective effects of vitamin E and methylprednisolone on ischemia and reperfusion testicular injury after testicular torsion and detorsion in West African dwarf (WAD) goats. Methods: Thirty-two male WAD goats were randomly allocated into four groups (n=8); group A was treated with vitamin E, group B with methylprednisolone, group C with combo-therapy of vitamin E and methylprednisolone and group D was the control. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), total tissue protein (TTP) and catalase (CAT) were assayed while tissue biopsies were harvested for evaluation of degeneration of germinal cells, desquamation in germinal cells, interstitial edema and haemorrhage. Result: Findings revealed that Vitamin E administered immediately post ligature application significantly (p less than 0.05) decreased MDA level in groups A and C. Vitamin E monotherapy and its combination with methylprednisolone respectively ameliorated more the cellular damage and histological alterations caused by ischaemia and reperfusion injury. This study, therefor, suggests that vitamin E monotherapy and its combination with methylprednisolone is more beneficial in the management of short and long term ischemia/reperfusion injury respectively.