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2014 Archive
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Author(s): Kaitlyn Eckert
Presentation: oral
Polyphenols, made in plants and found in many foods such as vegetables, tea, and red wine, contain antioxidant properties and influence many metabolic pathways. Pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) are found throughout the northwest United States surviving mainly on polyphenol-rich sagebrush, browsing only on certain sagebrush plants. We hypothesize that animals will avoid eating sagebrush high in bioactive polyphenols. Variation in the polyphenolic profiles of high- and low-browsed sagebrush was found using reverse phase HPLC and LC-MS techniques. Also, the bioactive properties of high- and low-browsed sagebrush were examined. Cultured HepG2 cells treated for 24 hours with high- and low-browsed sagebrush polyphenolic extract showed an equal increase in levels of intracellular glutathione (GSH), an endogenous antioxidant. By examining the differences in pygmy rabbit dietary preference, the goal is to be able to preserve ideal habitats for pygmy rabbits and identify new bioactive compounds useful for medicinal purposes.
The College of Idaho 2112 Cleveland Blvd Caldwell, ID 8360 USA 208-459-5011 800-2C-IDAHO