Total antioxidant capacity of colon in patients with chronic ulcerative colitis

It has been proposed that oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiolo gy of ulcerative colitis. We have reported the depletion of the nonenzymati c antioxidant, glutathione, in colon from active and inactive ulcerative co litis. The colon contains several biochemically linked antioxidant systems. We hypothesized that diminished total antioxidant capacity in active ulcer ative colitis would be associated with increased colonic lipid peroxidation . This study was designed to determine total antioxidant capacity and lipid hydroperoxide levels using colon obtained at surgery from controls (N = 16 ; 4 females, 12 males; mean age 70 years), and active and inactive ulcerati ve colitis (N = 15; 3 females, 12 males; mean age 39). Total antioxidant ca pacity of control colon was higher in muscularis externa compared to the mu cosal-submucosal layer (P < 0.05). There were no differences in colonic tot al antioxidant capacity or lipid hydroperoxide levels comparing control col on to inactive and active ulcerative colitis. The results did not support d epletion of tissue total antioxidant capacity by free radicals. Depletion o f glutathione in ulcerative colitis may be a specific disorder rather than a secondary defect attributable to global oxidative stress. Nonspecific ant ioxidant supplements appear unlikely to be beneficial in the treatment of u lcerative colitis.