Browsing by Author "Vijayaraghavan, Radhakrishnan"

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    Erythrocyte antioxidant enzymes in multibacillary leprosy patients.
    (2011-04) Vijayaraghavan, Radhakrishnan; Paneerselvam, Chinnakannu
    Oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species incriminated to play an important role in leprosy. Antioxidants are substances capable of eliminating the injurious effect caused by reactive oxygen species. We have measured the levels of antioxidant enzymes of red blood cells like Suproxide dismutatse, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione-S-transferase in 25 multibacillary (highly bacilliferous) type of leprosy patients and 25 age matched healthy persons as controls. We noticed a significant (P< 0.05) lowering in the levels of enzymatic antioxidants in the red blood cells indicating that oxidative stress is operational and antioxidant status is depressed in the red blood cells of leprosy patients. Reduction in the efficiency of red blood cell antioxidant defense may render leprosy patients vulnerable to oxidative stress, lowering of antioxidant status, neurodegeneration, depressed immunity against the invading intracellular pathogen the Mycobactrium leprae. Nutritional intervention by way of exogenous supplementation of functionally efficient antioxidant could reactivate the antioxidant system and guard the red blood cells against the insult caused by reactive oxygen species.