Figure 3.

Effects of BH4, l-arginine (L-arg) and vitamin C (VitC) on oxidative stress in the ischemic gastrocnemius and gracilis muscles. Muscle was harvested 14 d after the induction of hindlimb ischemia and supernatants from muscle homogenates were used in these assays. (A, B) Nitrotyrosine expression was decreased by all dietary additives, although this decrease was greatest in rats receiving BH4 + l-arginine + vitamin C in ischemic gastrocnemius muscles (A), but no change was observed in ischemic gracilis muscles (B). (C, D) The GSH-to-GSSG ratio was increased in ischemic gastrocnemius (C) and gracilis (D) in rats receiving BH4 + l-arginine; the addition of vitamin C to this regimen caused an additional increase in this ratio. Data are means ± sd; n = 5–6. *p < 0.05 versus control; ^†p < 0.05 versus BH4 or l-arginine groups; ^‡p < 0.05 versus BH4 + l-arginine groups.