Effect of multivitamins in an effervescent preparation on the respiratory burst of peritoneal macrophages in mice

The effect of regular intake of low doses of an effervescent multivitamin preparation on the free-radical-producing activity of murine peritoneal macrophages under conditions resembling a possible infection was studied in vitro. Initially, several groups of mice were fed a basal diet and given, for 2 weeks, water without or with supplementation of either alpha -tocopherol, ascorbic acid, riboflavin or a multivitamin preparation. The supplementation period was followed by a 2-week wash-out time interval during which control and multivitamin groups received deionized water. Macrophage stimulation tests using chemiluminescent spectroscopy were performed at the end of the supplementation and wash-out periods to determine cell counts and their capacity to produce free radicals. Multivitamin supplementation increased the number, and the reactive oxygen species-producing activity, of macrophages. This effect persisted for 2 weeks after higher doses of supplementation were stopped. Multivitamin supplementation lowered the steady-state free radical concentrations of liver and spleen as measured by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. It also increased the antioxidant reactivity of the same organs, while there was no effect on the free radical concentration and antioxidant capacity of the kidney and brain. When taken regularly, low doses of multivitamin supplementation may have a beneficial effect on the defence mechanisms of the organism.