As an initial subdeficient status of zinc, considered as an essential antioxidant trace element, is frequent in burned patients,
we aim to assess the effects of low zinc dietary intakes on burn-induced oxidative stress, in an animal model. After 8 weeks
of conditioning diets containing 80 ppm (control group) or 10 ppm of zinc (depleted group), Wistar rats were 20% TBSA burned
and sampled 1–10 days after injury. Kinetic evolutions of zinc status, plasma oxidative stress parameters, and antioxidant
enzymes were also studied in blood and organs. The zinc-depleted diet induced, before injury, a significant decrease in zinc
bone level and the increase of oxidative stress markers without stimulation of antioxidant enzyme activity. After burn, more
markedly in zinc depleted animals than in controls, zinc levels decreased in plasma and bone, while increasing in liver. The
decrease of thiol groups and GSH/GSSG ratio and the depression of GPx activity in liver are also moderately emphasized. Nevertheless,
depleted zinc status could not be considered as determining for oxidative damages after burn injury. Further investigations
must also be done to enlighten the mechanism of beneficial effects of zinc supplementation reported in burned patients.
Keywords Burn injury - Zinc intakes - Zinc status - Oxidative stress - Rat model