Non-enzymatic antioxidants status of leprosy patients in a leprosarium settlement in Nigeria

Abstract

The plasma levels of vitamin C, vitamin E and uric acid were determined in leprosy subjects from in Ossiomo leprosorium settlement in Edo state, Nigeria. In this study, antioxidant status were determined in a total of 86 subjects that comprised of 31 leprosy patients on multidrug therapy (MBT), 40 leprosy patients relieved from therapy (RFT) in Ossiomo leprosorium settlement and 15 normal individuals who served as control subjects. Of the MDT group, 10 subjects were paucibacillary (PB) leprosy patients while 21 were multibacillary (MB) patients. There were significant decreases (P<0.05) in the plasma vitamin C and vitamin E levels relative to the controls. However the uric acid level was higher in the leprosy patients (P<0.05) compared with the control subjects. The uric acid levels determined in the RFT patients (10.74±0.99) obtained was significantly higher than those of MDT patients (2.90±0.29) and controls (6.69±0.32). The observed decrease in the vitamin C and vitamin E levels in the leprosy patients could be as a result of the free radicals produced during metabolism of the chemotherapeutic agents administered to the patients and the chronic pathological effects of Mycobacterium leprae on the population studied.

Keywords: leprosy, multidrug therapy, antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin E, Uric acid.