The effects of Ku Ding tea (Lactuca taiwaniana Maxim) and milk powder on biochemical and immunological parameters of Sprague-Dawley rats were investigated and the possibility of use of Ku Ding tea to reduce physiological discomfort of drinking milk powder was assessed. Eighty rats were randomly assigned to four treatments: basal diet (control), basal diet plus whole milk powder (WM), basal diet plus Ku Ding tea (KD) and basal diet plus whole milk powder and Ku Ding tea (MK). Data was collected on animals' final body weight, hematological values, blood biochemical parameters, antioxidation parameters and immune organ weight index. Results showed that final body weight of male KD was significantly lower than that of WM. White blood cell count, monocyte count and granulocyte count of KD rats were significantly lower than those of WM. Compared to the control, single milk powder supplementation numerically increased plasma malondialdehyde. The malondialdehyde in the male KD and MK rats were lower than those in WM and control, although the differences were not significant. No significant differences were found in Na(+)K(+)-adenosine triphosphatase activity, spleen and thymus index in each group. Consumption of Ku Ding tea appeared to lower lipid peroxidation that was induced by milk powder in the rats.
Keywords: Antioxidation; Biochemical parameters; Hematological values; Ku Ding tea; Lactuca taiwaniana; Lipid peroxidation; llex latifolia.