The concentration of superoxides and vitamins C and E in the blood serum of chronic pancreatic patients

Authors:

• Jolanta Twardowska-Rajewska,
• L. Hryniewiecki,
• E. Grzeskowiak,
• T. Grala-Ochnik,
• M. Grzymislawski

Abstract

The mechanism of pancreatic damage in the course of chronic inflammation still remains unknown. It seems that a common denominator for inflammations of different etiology (alcoholic, calcified, obturative, the so-called idiopathic) can be the free radicals theory, according to which the imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants, in favour of the former, causes damage of the cells and tissues of an organism in the process of peroxidation. The source of excessive production of free radicals is probably the lengthened induction of the liver (cytochrome P450) and pancreas (monooxidases) enzymatic systems in the course of xenobiotic detoxication (alcohol, drugs, preservatives, environmental pollution, unsaturated bile acids). On the other hand, the existing insufficiency of antioxidants, including, among others, vitamins C and E, may be the reason for a weakened antioxidative defence of the human body. We decided to evaluate certain biochemical parameters in blood which, could, constitute the indicators of balance in the oxidants-antioxidants system of chronic pancreatic patients in comparison with a control group. 41 people were examined: 21 patients and 20 control persons. We found out statistically significant: higher average concentrations (in plasma) of superoxides in patients as compared with the control group (respectively 12.3 ± 4.25 and 9.28 ± 1.97 mmol 10^-5/mol), and lower concentration of vitamin C (respectively 0.36 ± 0.29 and 0.80 ± 0.42 mg/dl). Statistically significant negative correlation between superoxides and vitamin C was proved in the group of patients. The obtained results may confirm the presence of imbalance in the oxidants-antioxidants system in chronic pancreatic patients, which may constitute a probable etiopathogenic factor in the development of the disease.