Antioxidants and proteolytic enzymes in experimental trichinellosis

Antioxidant and proteolytic enzymes play an important role during trichinel losis. In the present study we show a statistically significant increase in the enzymatic activity of both enzymatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), gluta thione peroxidase (GPx), catalase and non-enzymatic total antioxidant statu s (TAS) occurs in the muscles of mice infected with Trichinella spiralis an d I: pseudospiralis. Our research has shown that SOD and catalase activity increase during the ist week of trichinellosis and remain at an elevated le vel for at least 10-15 weeks following the infection. The activity of prote olytic enzymes is correlated with intensification of antioxidant activity. This activity disappears gradually and simultaneously with the decrease in the activity of antioxidative enzymes induced by I spiralis. In the I pseud ospiralis infection, proteolytic activity persist longer together with SOD and catalase activity. Upon comparison of the infection induced by T. spira lis and by T. pseudospiralis it was established that the maximum increase i n the activity of all analysed enzymes occurs much earlier in the infection with T. spiralis.