Free oxygen radical activity and some antioxidants in plasma of patients with cerebrovascular stroke

ABSTRACT

Neuronal cell loss in cerebral ischemia is partly due to oxidative damage caused by free oxygen radical [FOR] formation and subsequent lipid peroxidation, a process that can be halted by antioxidants. In this study, levels of malondialdehyde [MDA]. An end product of lipid peroxidation, as a marker of FOR activity, together with levels of three antioxidants namely vitamin C. vitamin E and the trace element selenium. Were measured in plasma of 30 patients with cerebrovascular stoke [CVS] grouped according to CT findings into patients with cerebral infarction and those with cerebral haemorrhage [15 patients each]. The study included also 15 healthy subjects as control. Results showed statistically significant decrease in both vitamin E [P 0.01] and selenium [P 0.01]. accompanied by significant increase in MDA [P 0.001] in plasma of all patients compared to control, with no significant difference between the two groups of patients except vitamin E levels which decreased signiticantly in patients with infarction compared to those with haemorrhage [P 0.05]. Significant negative correlations were noticed between MDA and each of vitamin E [P 0.423, P 0.05] and selenium [P 0.369, P 0.05] plasma levels. In conclusion. Patients with CVE have deranged antioxidant satus and increased FOR activity which almost occur whatever the cause of stoke. Further studies are recommended to clarify the significance of these changes and to elucidate whether antioxidant supplementation will alter the course of the disease beneficially