Chili-supplemented food decreases glutathione--transferase activity in females without a change in other parameters of antioxidant system.

Objectives: Many plant-derived anti-aging preparations influence antioxidant defense system. Consumption of food supplemented with chili pepper powder was found to extend lifespan in the fruit fly, . The present study aimed to test a connection between life-extending effect of chili powder and antioxidant defense system of .

Methods: Flies were reared for 15 days in the mortality cages on food with 0% (control), 0.04%, 0.12%, 0.4%, or 3% chili powder. Antioxidant and related enzymes, as well as oxidative stress indices were measured.

Results: Female flies that consumed chili-supplemented food had a 40-60% lower glutathione--transferase (GST) activity as compared with the control cohort. Activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was about 37% higher in males that consumed food with 3% chili powder in comparison with the control cohort. Many of the parameters studied were sex-dependent.

Conclusions: Consumption of chili-supplemented food extends lifespan in fruit fly cohorts in a concentration- and gender-dependent manner. However, this extension is not mediated by a strengthening of antioxidant defenses. Consumption of chili-supplemented food does not change the specific relationship between antioxidant and related enzymes in , and does not change the linkage of the activities of these enzymes to fly gender.