RESUMO
Chronic renal failure (CRF) induces anaemia by shortening the life-span of erythrocytes, due to an increase in oxidative stress, which is considered to be one of the major risk factors in CRF patients undergoing hemodialysis. In the present study, the antioxidant status of the end-staged renal disease (ESRD) patients was investigated. The antihemolytic activity of Boerhaavia diffusa on the erythrocytes of the patients was also studied. Protein, lipid peroxides (LPO), reduced glutathione (GSH) levels and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities were measured in the hemolysate from 55 polycystic ESRD patients (Group II) and compared with normal subjects (Group I). The antioxidant status was found to be significantly reduced in the patients as compared to normal healthy volunteers, due to increased oxidative stress. Also, aqueous extract of B. diffusa showed a significant antihemolytic activity on the erythrocytes of the polycystic ESRD patients.