Protective effects of citric acid against high-fructose corn syrup-induced oxidative stress in broiler brain

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) and citric acid (CA) on the oxidative and antioxidant status of brain tissues in broiler chickens. The one-day-old Ross 308 chicks used in this study were randomly allocated into four experimental groups: control, 30 mg/kg CA, 50 mg/kg HFCS, and 30 mg/kg CA + 50 mg/kg HFCS. At the end of the experimental period, nine chicks from each group were slaughtered, and brain tissues were collected. Cerebrum and cerebellum regions were separately analyzed, and oxidative stress markers were quantified. Results demonstrated that total oxidant status (TOS), oxidative stress index (OSI) malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) levels were highest in both brain regions of the HFCS group compared to the other groups. In the cerebrum, NO and OSI elevations were statistically significant, whereas in the cerebellum, TOS, OSI, and MDA values were significantly increased in the HFCS group. Total antioxidant status (TAS), indicative of antioxidant defense, was highest in the CA group across both brain regions; cerebrum TAS levels were significantly higher than those in the HFCS group, while in the cerebellum, this increase was statistically significant compared to all groups. In conclusion, HFCS exposure induced oxidative and nitrosative stress in the cerebrum and cerebellum of broiler chickens, whereas citric acid supplementation significantly reduced oxidative damage in both regions.