IMBALANCE BETWEEN LIPID-PEROXIDATION AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN PREECLAMPSIA

Lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant system were investigated in the plasma and placenta of normal and preeclamptic pregnant women. A sign ificant increase in thiobarbituric a.cid reactive substance (TBARS), s ignificant decreases in total thiol (t-SH) content and superoxide dism utase (SOD) activity, and unchanged vitamin C levels and glutathione p eroxidase (GPx) activity were observed in the plasma of preeclamptic w omen compared to women with normal pregnancies. In placentas from pree clamptic women TEARS levels were significantly elevated, while glutath ione and vitamin C levels and GPx, glutathione S-transferase and SOD a ctivities were decreased. After delivery, the elevated TEARS values de creased significantly and the reduced SOD activity and t-SH contents i ncreased significantly. We concluded that preeclampsia is associated w ith an imbalance between lipid peroxides and the antioxidant system.