ANTIOXIDANT AND OR FREE-RADICAL SCAVENGER HYDROPHOBIC VITAMINS IN TROPICAL MEDICINE

Antioxidant and/or free radical scavenger vitamins (A, E) as beta caro tene are inequally distributed among intertropical peoples from Africa . In Ivory coast for example the values observed are clearly enhanced in the regions where Palm oil is usually eaten than in savanna regions . Primary liver cancer (PLC) is more frequently observed in savanna re gions. Furthermore it has been recently suggested that retinoic acid w hich is derived from vitamin A and beta carotene could interact with t he genes which are involved in the primary liver carcinogenesis. In PL C patients as in subjects suffering from sickle cell anaemia, malaria, kwashiorkor or marasmus, and AIDS, the plasma levels of vitamin A, Vi tamin E and beta carotene are decreased. Though disturbances in the di gestion of fats that may be observed in some pathologies (mainly in Kw ashiorkor) affect the discussion of the results, haemolysis and/or acu te phase reaction with increased respiratory burst are always observed . That explain, at least in part, the lowering of lipophilic-antioxida nt-vitamin plasma levels. As a consequence crude palm oil addition or vitamin A and E therapy would enchance the natural defences againts th e deleterious effects of the oxidative stress induced by these affecti ons. It is worth ckecking about.