A study of oxidative stress biomarkers and effect of oral antioxidant supplementation in severe acute malnutrition.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition represents one of the most severe health problems in India. Free radicals play an important role in immunological response, which induces the oxidative surplus in severe acute malnutrition. Severe dietary deficiency of nutrients leads to increased oxidative stress in cellular compartments. AIM: The goal of this study was to inspect impact of oxidative stress in the form of serum malondialdehyde as product of lipid peroxidation, vitamin E, zinc and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase in patients with severe acute malnutrition. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Sixty severe acute malnutrition patients were studied before and after supplementation of antioxidants for one month, and their status were compared with those of 60 age and sex matched healthy controls. The level of serum MDA was analyzed by the Kei Satoh method, serum vitamin E concentration was measured by Baker and Frank Method, serum zinc was measured by using Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS) and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase was measured by Kajari Das Method. RESULTS: Significantly increased levels of serum malondialdehyde (p<0.001) were found in the patients as compared to those in controls, and significant depletions were found in the levels of serum vitamin E, zinc and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase in patients with severe acute malnutrition as compared to those in controls. After supplementation of antioxidants for one month, the levels of malondialdehyde were found to be decreased significantly (p<0.001) and zinc and erythrocyte superoxide dismutase capacity levels were increased significantly (p<0.05). Also, there was a non-significant (p>0.05) increase in vitamin E levels as compared to those before supplementation results. CONCLUSION: Harsh deficiency of various nutrients in severe acute malnutrition leads to generation of heavy oxidative stress. These effects may be minimized with supplementation of antioxidants.

Attenuation of serum ferritin and iron burden by intake of antioxidants in beta thalassemia major.

It has been anticipated that iron and ferritin burden in patients with beta thalassemia major is associated with enhanced free radical formation and blemished antioxidant defense system. The goal of study was to scrutinize impact of serum iron, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), ferritin and erythrocyte catalase in patients with beta thalassemia major. 140 beta thalassemia major patients were studied before and after supplementation of antioxidants for one month, and status was compared with 140 age and sex matched healthy controls. A significant elevation was found in the levels of serum iron and ferritin (P < 0.001) with concomitant decrease in erythrocyte catalase (P < 0.001) in patients when compared with controls. After one month supplementation of antioxidants, catalase was elevated significantly (P < 0.001) and marginal rise in serum TIBC concentration increased marginally while iron and ferritin were decreased marginally (P > 0.05) when compared with controls and baselines values. Beta thalassemia major children receive multiple blood transfusions, and are at risk of secondary iron overload induced oxidative stress. These effects may be help to minimize with supplementation of antioxidants.

Level of nitric oxide and antioxidant vitamins in sickle cell anaemia patients.

Sickle cell anaemia (SCA) is characterized with sever anaemia and vasoocclussive episodes. Nitric Oxide (NO) a potential vasodilator, synthesized from various cells including endothelial cell. However SCA is associated with endothelial dysfunction, a measure cognitive factor for pulmonary hypertension (PH) and vasoocclussive crisis. The present study was attempted to evaluate level of serum NO and plasma antioxidant vitamins A, E and C in homozygous (n = 30) and heterozygous (n = 30) sickle cell patients and compared with age and sex matched healthy controls (n = 30). We found, significantly (P < 0.0001) elevated level of serum NO and significantly (P < 0.0001) depleted antioxidant vitamins in homozygous and heterozygous sickle cell patients compared to healthy controls. Our study reveals that oxidative stress may be a responsible factor for the reduced bioavailability of NO which can impair the vasodilation in sickle cell patients.

Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant vitamin status in colorectal cancer patients.

Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) can induce carcinogenesis via DMA injury. Both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants participate in cell protection against harmful influence of oxidative stress. The aim of the present study was to assess the level of end product of lipid peroxidation such as malondialdehyde (MDA) as an oxidant in colorectal cancer. Moreover, we analyzed the activity of main non-enzymatic antioxidants, vitamin E and vitamin C in colorectal cancer patients. In the present study, total 48 samples were analyzed which includes 24 age matched healthy controls irrespective of sex (Group I) and 24 cases of colorectal cancer (Group II). The serum level of lipid peroxide, vitamin E and vitamin C were estimated in both healthy control Group I (n=24) and colorectal cancer Group II (n=24). A significant increase in the level of serum lipid peroxide (P<0.001), with concomitant decrease in the levels of serum vitamin E and vitamin C, (P<0.001) in Group II patients were noticed as compared to the healthy control Group I. Our findings suggest that increased oxidative stress and reduced antioxidants defense mechanism may play an important role in progression and pathogenesis of colorectal cancer.