title: The levels of plasma and salivary antioxidants in the patient with recurrent aphthous stomatitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite plenty of research, the cause of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) remains obscure. It has been proposed that, the aetiological factors such as local trauma, smoking, vitamin deficiencies and viral infections lead to aphthae formation via final common pathway based on increased oxidative stress. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) alterations in plasma and saliva, and in addition uric acid (UA) in saliva, in patients with RAS and healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two patients with RAS and 30 healthy controls were included into the study. The SOD, CAT, GSHPx and UA levels were measured in plasma and saliva in study and control groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the RAS group, although the mean SOD (P<0.001) and CAT (P<0.05) levels of plasma were lower, GSHPx (P<0.001) levels were higher than control group. The salivary concentrations of the SOD (P<0.001), CAT (P<0.05) and GSHPx (P<0.001) in RAS group were entirely opposite to plasma concentrations. UA were not significant between RAS group and controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since we found salivary SOD and CAT levels were high whereas plasma levels were low, it has been thought that, salivary defence mechanisms via antioxidant agents may be stimulated against to the ulcerous lesion. We consider that the organism might mobilize the antioxidant potential to the sites where they were needed. At this point, decrease of SOD and CAT levels in the plasma may be related to this shift. It is also thought that GSHPx secretion in the saliva may also be increased but the increase in its turnover may be responsible for the diminished activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Inonu University, Faculty of Medicine, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, Malatya, Turkey. ykarincaoglu@inonu.edu.tr
authors.forename: Yelda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Karincaoglu
authors.forename: Kadir
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Batcioglu
authors.forename: Tamer
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Erdem
authors.forename: Muammer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esrefoglu
authors.forename: Metin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Genc
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D002374:Catalase / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D014527:Uric Acid; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase