OXIDATIVE STRESS AND ANTIOXIDATIVE STATUS OF PLASMA AND ERYTHROCYTES IN PATIENTS WITH VIVAX MALARIA

Objectives: To investigate the oxidative stress and antioxidative stat us of plasma and erythrocytes in patients with vivax malaria and healt hy persons. Design and Methods: Activities of antioxidative enzymes, r ates of pathways of hexose monophosphate shunt and purine salvage, lev els of lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione, methemoglobin and sulf hemoglobin of erythrocytes were determined. Lipid peroxidation and lev els of antioxidant substances were measured.Results: Antioxidants leve ls and antioxidative enzymes activities were lower and lipid peroxidat ion, purine salvage rate were higher in patients group than controls. Erythrocyte glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD) activity was no t different from that of healthy subjects. Conclusions: Oxidative mech anisms were observed to be dominant compared with antioxidative mechan isms in patients with vivax malaria. Therefore, oxidative stress may b e produced and maintained by the host defense mechanisms against malar ial infection.