Assessment of acute phase proteins and oxidative stress status of Nigerians using bleaching agents

The disruption of primary innate immune function of the epidermal layer of the skin accounts for the susceptibility of individuals using bleaching agents to localized or systemic infections. This subverted innate immunity in these people may lead to other pathological conditions. The resultant effects of skin bleaching and phagocytes activation in response to infections have not been studied in Nigerians using bleaching agents. The present study therefore assessed the levels of C-reactive protein [CRP], albumin, total antioxidant potential [TAP], total plasma peroxides [TPP], oxidative stress index [OSI] and malondialdehyde [MDA] in the users bleaching agents. Thirty [30] people who had used bleaching agents for average of 4.9+1.2 years participated in this study. They were recruited from various schools and markets within the city of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. Thirty apparently healthy staffs of University College Hospital Ibadan, Ibaadan, Nigeria, who had never used bleaching agents served as controls. All the subjects used for this study had no metabolic abnormality and tested negative to both HIV and hepatitis B infections. The mean value of TAP [p < 0.01] was significantly lower in individuals using bleaching agents when compared with the controls. The mean levels of CRP [p<0.01], TPP [p <0.01], OSI [p<0.01] and MDA [p <0.05] were significantly higher in the users of bleaching agents when compared with the controls. But there was no significant difference in the mean value of albumin [p>0.20] when compared with the controls. Oxidative stress and chronic inflammation are possible consequences of skin bleaching. The users of skin bleaching agents may need antioxidant therapies to avert the risks of oxidative stress

Plasma neopterin and peroxide levels in pulmonary tuberculosis patients on chemotherapy with or without micronutrient supplementation

Neopterin and H2O2 are products of cellular [macrophage] activation. The exact roles of these secretions by activated macrophages in protection against tuberculosis remain unclear. In the present study, the changes in the levels of neopterin and total plasma peroxides [TPP] were assessed in pulmonary tuberculosis [PTB] patients on chemotherapy with [C+M] or without [C- M] micronutrient supplementation. Thirty-eight newly diagnosed PTB patients were selected for this study. Twenty patients were treated with anti-tuberculosis drugs and micronutrient [C+M] while 18 PTB-patients were treated with only anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy [C-M]. Plasma neopterin and TPP concentrations were measured by enzymes linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA] and colorimetric method respectively. All PTB patients had elevated neopterin [p=0.02] and TPP [p=0.00] levels when compared with the non-PTB controls. Plasma level of neopterin and TPP declined significantly in C+M after 2 weeks of treatment [p= 0.00, p=0.01 respectively] and also after 4 weeks of treatment [p = 0.01 and p=0.00 respectively] when compared with baseline levels before treatment. No significant change was observed in the levels of neopterin and TPP in C-M after 4 weeks of treatment when compared with baseline value before treatment. Micronutrient supplementation enhanced the decline in the levels of neopterin and TPP after two weeks of treatment. Chemotherapy alone did not produce significant reduction. Therefore, micronutrient supplementation of PTB drugs with synthetic antioxidants or naturally occurring ones [fruits and vegetables] should be attempted