Evaluation of oxidative stress and anti-oxidant status in essential hypertension.

The present study was planned to access the role of oxidative stress and anti-oxidant status in essential hypertension. Malondialdehyde is one of the by-products of lipid peroxidase and so extent of lipid peroxidation was measured by estimating malondialdehyde levels, nitrite concentration was used as an index of nitric oxide synthesis and anti-oxidant status was measured in terms of total antioxidant capacity. One hundred and eighty cases with essential hypertension and 60 volunteers as healthy controls were selected for the study. The subjects under study were grouped as pregeriatric (35-50 years) and geriatric (51-65 years). These cases were further subdivided into group I (mild), group II (moderate) and group III (severe), depending upon the levels of blood pressure. The study results showed statistically significant increased levels of serum malondialdehyde in all the groups of essential hypertensive patients when compared to that of healthy controls (p < 0.001), whereas levels of serum nitric oxide and total anti-oxidant capacity were significantly decreased in all groups of essential hypertensive patients when compared to those of controls (p < 0.001). These clear findings of the present study focuses the attention towards an alteration in the status of oxidants and anti-oxidant parameters indicating an impact of free radical action in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension.

Effect of oral antioxidant supplementation on lipid peroxidation during radiotherapy in head and neck malignancies.

The objectives of the present study were to ascertain the variations in the serum levels of malondialdehyde and total antioxidant status, in head and neck malignancies with different stages, with and without oral antioxidant supplementation, before and after radiotherapy, and to validate the protective effects of an antioxidant supplementation during radiotherapy. The pretreatment values of serum malondialdehyde were significantly raised, while that of serum total antioxidant status were significantly declined in all the stages of head and neck malignancies, when compared with the healthy controls values (P<0.001). A significant correlation was observed related to the studied parameters and different stages of the disease. The study suggests that an oral antioxidant supplementation during radiotherapy is an effective mode in reducing oxidative stress. Antioxidant supplementation during radiotherapy may serve as an adjuvant therapy in malignancies offering a protection to normal cells that may further reduce the risk of developing secondary cancers.