ANTIOXIDANT-MEDIATED GLUTATHIONE LEVELS OF SICKLE ERYTHROCYTES UNDER DRUG-INDUCED OXIDATIVE STRESS.

Aloh, G. S, *Obeagu, Emmanuel Ifeanyi, Okoroiwu, I.L., Odo, Christian Emeka, Odo Matthew Chibunna, Kanu,S.N, Elemchukwu, Q., Okpara,K.E., Ugwu, Getrude Uzoma,

ABSTRACT

The effects of two antioxidants, ascorbic acid and α-tocopherol, on the glutathione (GSH) levels of sickle erythrocytes were studied before and after inducing oxidative stress with 5mg of acetylphenylhydrazine (APHZ) per ml of blood. Pre –APHZ GSH levels of the control and sickle erythrocytes were 39.82 + 1.48 mg/100ml and 26.00 + 2.32 mg/ml respectively. Their respective post – APHZ levels were 37.00+ 2.35 mg/ml and 13.00 + 1.98 mg /ml. Post – APHZ +ascorbic acid , their mean GSH levels were respectively 37.75 + 2.50 mg/ml and 16.00 + 1.83 mg/ml , while post- APHZ + α- tocopherol significantly (p<0.05)elevated their GSH levels to 39.76 + 2.80 mg/ml and 22.00 + 2.24 mg/ml respectively. These results indicate that whether defective or not , the initial effect of an oxidant drug is to lower the GSH levels of red cells. Because the sickle erythrocytes had a subsisting redox stress ,the effect of APHZ could not be fully reversed by both ascorbic acid and α - tocopherol as occurred in the control. α – Tocopherol was more effective in counteracting the effect of APHZ , probably because it is a fat – soluble vitamin.

Keywords: Antioxidants; ascorbic acid; alpha-tocopherol; glutathione; oxidative stress; Sickle cell.