Plasmatic vitamin C in nontreated hepatitis C patients is negatively associated with aspartate aminotransferase.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the possible relationship between aminotransferases levels and markers of oxidative stress in chronic hepatitis C patients.


METHODS
Patients without treatment for hepatitis were divided in to group I (15-39 U/L); group II (41-76 U/L) and group III (81-311 U/L) of activity alanine aminotransferase (ALT). Blood markers of oxidative stress [catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), thiobarbituric acid-reactive species (TBARS), nonprotein and protein thiol (NP-SH and P-SH) groups and vitamin C] were determined.


RESULTS
P-SH and NP-SH levels, TBARS, GPx and CAT were not different between groups. Vitamin C was significantly decreased in groups II (P=0.03) and III (P=0.001) when compared with group I and correlated negatively with aspartate aminotransferase (AST; r=-0.29, P=0.042).


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin C levels were negatively associated with AST, suggesting that vitamin C could be an additional indicator of hepatitis C severity.
Souza dos Santos
Rosane M
RM
Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil.
de Bem
Andreza F
AF
Colpo
Elisângela
E
Bertoncello
Iara
I
Nogueira
Cristina W
CW
Rocha
João B T
JB
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis
D015415:Biomarkers; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D001205:Ascorbic Acid