LIPID PEROXIDATION AND ANTIOXIDANT STATUS IN SOUTH INDIAN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

An imbalance between reactive oxygen species production and antioxidant scavenging has been implicated in type 2 diabetes. Reports indicate that several complications of diabetes mellitus are associated with increased activity of free radicals and accumulation of lipid peroxidation products. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with increased oxidative stress in south Indian subjects. Fasting blood samples were obtained from 50 diabetic patients (26 male and 24 female) and 50 (26 male and 24 female) healthy control subjects. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), Superoxide dismutase (SOD) reduced glutathione (GSH) and Vitamin C levels were measured and the results were compared with those of controls. MDA levels were found to be significantly higher, SOD and GSH activities were found to be significantly lower in type 2 diabetic patients when compared with controls (P<0.05). There was a decrease in vitamin C level was observed in patients (P<0.05). In this study lower lipid peroxidation is inversely proportional to the antioxidant levels in type 2 diabetics. Therefore, the future studies need to focus on gathering large sample sizes to clarify the relationship between antioxidant depletion and type 2 diabetes mellitus