Korean J Parasitol.  2012 Dec;50(4):375-377.

Oxidative Stress in Vivax Malaria

• Bilgin R
• Yalcin MS
• Yucebilgic G
• Koltas IS
• Yazar S

Abstract

Malaria is still a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. The increase in lipid peroxidation reported in malaria infection and antioxidant status may be a useful marker of oxidative stress during malaria infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of antioxidant enzymes against toxic reactive oxygen species in patients infected with Plasmodium vivax and healthy controls. Malondialdehyde levels, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities were determined in 91 P. vivax patients and compared with 52 controls. Malondialdehyde levels, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities were 8.07+/-2.29 nM/ml, 2.69+/-0.33 U/ml, and 49.6+/-3.2 U/g Hb in the patient group and 2.72+/-0.50 nM/ml, 3.71+/-0.47 U/ml, and 62.3+/-4.3 U/g Hb in the control group, respectively. Malondialdehyde levels were found statistically significant in patients with vivax malaria higher than in healthy controls (P<0.001). On the other hand, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities were found to be significantly lower in vivax malaria patients than in controls (P<0.05). There was an increase in oxidative stress in vivax malaria. The results suggested that antioxidant defense mechanisms may play an important role in the pathogenesis of P. vivax.

Keyword

Plasmodium vivax; malondialdehyde; superoxide dismutase; glutathione peroxidase; malaria

MeSH Terms

Adult
Animals
Antioxidants/*metabolism
Biological Markers/metabolism
Female
Glutathione Peroxidase/metabolism
Humans
Lipid Peroxidation
Malaria, Vivax/*metabolism/parasitology
Male
Malondialdehyde/metabolism
*Oxidative Stress
Plasmodium vivax/*metabolism
Reactive Oxygen Species/*metabolism
Superoxide Dismutase/metabolism
Young Adult
Antioxidants
Biological Markers
Reactive Oxygen Species
Malondialdehyde
Glutathione Peroxidase
Superoxide Dismutase