Study of Malondialdehyde Level and Glutathione Peroxidase Activity in Patients Suffering from Malaria

Introduction: Malaria is one of the most common Parasitic infection prevalent worldwide especially in India, South Asia and Africa. About 250 million cases and approximately One million deaths of malaria reported per year worldwide. Oxidative stress (O.S.) has been implicated as possible mediator of thrombocytopenia in malarial patients. All eukaryotic cells, specially immune effector cells generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) as a mean to combat invading microbes i.e. via the ' Oxidative burst', which increases the oxidative burden on the microbe to lethal levels. An excess of ROS such as superoxide anions, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), hydroxyl radicals and /or RNS, such as nitric oxide (NO) and peroxynitrite (ONOO-) creates a potentially dangerous situation known as oxidative or nitrosative stress respectively.

Aim: Present study aims to study the status of serum Malondialdehyde and Glutathione Peroxidase activity in hemolysate among the patients with Malaria.

Materials and Methods: This is cross-sectional observational study on 200 non-treated malaria patients, compared with 100 normal individuals. Out of total 200 malaria patients 96 were plasmodium (P) vivax & 104 were P falciparum diagnosed cases.

Results: Mean MDA level in the P. Vivax malaria cases was 12.29 + 0.32 micromole/L which was found to be higher compared to the controls with mean MDA level is 6.55+ 0.24 micromole/L, whereas the mean MDA level in P. Falciparum malaria cases was 13.5+ 0.18 micromole/L which was higher compared to the controls with mean MDA level of 6.55+ 0.24 micromole/L.

Conclusion: The present study on malaria explains the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysiology of malaria which is a multifactorial phenomenon and represents an important aspect of the intricate and complex host- parasite relationship. Oxidative stress is aggravated by reduced effectiveness of the antioxidant defence system; hence it is advised to provide antioxidant supplements through diet that can reduce the disease severity and risk of death during infection.