Alteration in antioxidants level and lipid peroxidation of patients with neurodegenerative diseases {Alzheimer′s disease and Parkinson disease}

Abstract

Objective: To assess the level of oxidative stress (OS) and the antioxidants that play a prominent role in OS of neurodegenerative diseases; also to test the hypothesis that OS is associated with neuronal degeneration in patients with neurodegenerative diseases {Parkinson's Disease (PD) and Alzheimer's Disease (AD)}. Materials and Methods: A total of 28 AD, 42 PD patients and 42 healthy controls aged 60-80 yrs were recruited for the study. Plasma total antioxidant status (TAS), erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) concentrations were determined. Erythrocyte antioxidant enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) were measured by using standard methods. Results: Plasma TAS was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) in AD and PD subjects when compared with the controls. Erythrocyte antioxizdant enzymes activities of SOD, GSH-Px, CAT and activity of G6PD were significantly reduced (P < 0.01) in AD and PD when compared with that of controls. However, erythrocyte level of MDA in AD and PD subjects were significantly increased (P < 0.01) compared to the controls. Erythrocyte GSH level was significantly reduced (P < 0.01) in AD subjects and (P < 0.05) in PD subjects when compared with the control. Strong significant (P < 0.01) correlation was obtained between the marker of OS (MDA) and SOD among PD and AD patients. Conclusion: The present study reveals elevated OS and strong correlation between SOD and MDA. This indicates that reduced SOD plays a prominent role in the increase of OS in neuronal degeneration.