Zehra Hashim, Shamshad Zarina.
Antioxidant markers in human senile and diabetic Cataractous lenses.
J Coll Physicians Surg Pak Jan ;16(10):637-40.

Objective: To determine the role of free radicals and antioxidant enzymes in patients suffering from cataract due to aging and diabetes. Design: Experimental study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi from December 2004 to May 2005. Patients and Methods: The study was conducted on 80 cataract patients. Lens and plasma samples from senile and diabetic subjects suffering from cataract were analyzed and activity of Cu, Zn-superoxide dismutase (Cu, Zn-SOD) was measured using xanthine oxidase system. Catalase (CAT) activity was estimated. Levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured by thiobarbituric acid reaction. Student`s t- test was employed for analysis of results. Results: Significant difference (p<0.001) was found in activity of Cu, Zn-SOD in cataract lenses from diabetic patients as compared to senile subjects, CAT activities was also lower (p<0.001) in lenses from diabetic cataract patients when compared to lenses from senile cataractous subjects. Lens MDA levels were significantly higher (p<0.001) in cataract lenses from diabetic patients than in senile subjects. Plasma MDA levels were lowest (p<0.001) in controls as compared to senile and diabetic cataractous patients. Conclusion: Results of present study suggest that increased production of high levels of free oxygen species is linked to glucose oxidation and non-enzymatic glycation of proteins. Furthermore, elevated glucose levels might be involved in the insufficiency of antioxidant enzymatic activity and in the progression of lipid peroxidation.

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