title: Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity in complicated pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Preeclampsia and eclampsia are pregnancy complications with serious consequences for mother and infant. Uncontrolled lipid peroxidation may play an important role in the pathophysiology of preeclampsia and eclampsia by causing vascular endothelial cell dysfunction. Antioxidants serve to control lipid peroxidation. We attempted to ascertain whether antioxidant protective mechanisms are diminished in women with preeclampsia and eclampsia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant markers were assayed in 25 healthy non-pregnant women as a control group, 25 third trimester normal pregnant women, 25 preeclamptic and 25 eclamptic patients of the same trimester by standard spectrophotometer methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In preeclampsia and eclampsia malondialdehyde, a product of lipid peroxidation, was significantly increased while enzymatic antioxidants like superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase and catalase were significantly reduced as compared to normal pregnant women and non-pregnant controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lipid peroxidation is an important factor in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia and eclampsia. The decrease in antioxidants is probably due to a compensatory nature responding to the increased lipid peroxide load in preeclamptic and eclamptic patients and may indicate the severity of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, J.N. Medical College Nehru, Karnataka, India. sanrum03@yahoo.co.in
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Kodliwadmath
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kodliwadmath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002374:Catalase / Q000097:blood; D004461:Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D005980:Glutathione Reductase / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D005980:Glutathione Reductase