Antioxidant enzymes activity and neutrophil phagocytic function in patients with acute and chronic viral hepatitis

ABSTRACT

A disturbance in the delicate oxidant-antioxidant balance results in many pathophy-siologic conditions. In an attempt to clarify the antioxidants status in cases with viral hepatitis, we have measured the activity of 2 important antioxidant enzymes namely superoxide dismutase [SOD] and glutathione reductase [GR] in erythrocytes and investigated the neutrophil phagocytic function [phagocytic and lytic indices] in 23 patients with acute viral hepatitis, 21 patient with chronic viral hepatitis and twelve healthy subjects with matched age and sex. Patients with hepatitis showed a significantly decreased activity of both SOD and GR when compared to the control. Furthermore, the activity of these enzymes in acute hepatitis was significantly lower than in chronic hepatitis. The neutrophil phagocytic function was significantly suppressed in both groups of patients when compared to control. Results might point to a relationship between accumulation of free radicals and hepatitis