High Levels of α-Tocopherol in Norwegian Alpine Grazing Plants

Abstract

Antioxidants prevent oxidation of fatty acids in milk and meat. In the present study, the content of tocopherol antioxidants (vitamin E) in vegetative and reproductive parts of 22 grazing plants was estimated in two alpine areas used for summer farming. The overall mean content of α-tocopherol was 135 ± 34 μg g(-1) DW, and grasses had much lower content (28 ± 11 μg g(-1) DW) than herbs (215 ± 94 μg g(-1) DW), sedges (186 ± 78 μg g(-1) DW), and woody species (178 ± 52 μg g(-1) DW). Highest and lowest species-specific levels were 649 ± 91 and 2 ± 1 μg g(-1) DW, respectively. Plants from light and shady habitats did not differ in their α-tocopherol content, which was idiosyncratic as indicated by significant interactions between species, sampling occasion, site, and tissue type. Our results show that alpine ranges provide fodder with high levels of α-tocopherol.

Antioxidant Properties of Alpine Plant

“…The levels of tocopherols are generally high in some alpine and arctic plants; however, some exceptions are also present, for example, leaves of Ranunculus glacialis in which it is extremely low [19]. However, range of the variations was also observed in the tocopherols in the alpine plants [12,18,19] for example, Sickel et al [34] showed the range of concentrations of the tocopherols in the dominants fodder species of the alpine pastures of the Norwegian alpine region from 2 to 664 μg g −1 DW as the lowest level in Avenella flexuosa and tocopherol pool in all studied species was dominated by α-tocopherol. However, Vaccinium myrtillus showed relatively higher γ-tocopherol [34].…”

Biodiversity and ecosystem services: The Nature Index for Norway

“…The nutritional quality of milk may be enhanced (e.g. more antioxidants) when cows graze on herb and grass rich pastures (Sickel et al, 2012). In the forest ecosystem, provisioning ecosystem services include hunting of moose (Alces alces) and picking of blueberries (Vaccinium myrtillus).…”

Seasonal foraging patterns of forest‐grazing Japanese Black heifers with increased plasma total antioxidant capacity

“…; Sickel et al . ). Therefore, we hypothesized that plasma TAC in the forest‐grazing cattle increases during summer–fall with the increase of: (i) the intake of various TAC‐rich shrubs and trees; or (ii) TAC levels in these plants.…”

“…In general, the palatability and preference by herbivores differ according to the plant species, their vegetation and season (Okano & Iwamoto 1989). The nutritional quality of shrubs, trees and wild plants also varies greatly depending on the species and season (Sugiyama et al 2004;Bruno-Soares et al 2011;Sickel et al 2012). Therefore, we hypothesized that plasma TAC in the forest-grazing cattle increases during summer-fall with the increase of: (i) the intake of various TAC-rich shrubs and trees; or (ii) TAC levels in these plants.…”

“…Summer heat stress negatively affects reproduction functions of JB cows by inducing oxidative stress (Sakatani et al 2012). The nutritional quality of shrubs, trees and wild plants also varies greatly depending on the species and season (Sugiyama et al 2004;Bruno-Soares et al 2011;Sickel et al 2012). Nevertheless, the relation between seasonal variation in the foraging of forest-grazing cattle or the TAC levels of plants and the increase in plasma TAC of forest-grazing cattle remain unclear.…”