title: Free radical attack on membrane lipid and antioxidant vitamins in the course of pre-eclamptic pregnancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Despite the volume of knowledge and daily reports on pre-eclampsia, its pathogenesis is still yet to be ascertained. Oxidative stress (oxidant (free radical) in excess of antioxidant) injury is one of the recently suggested pathogenetic mechanisms. This study, however, was designed to determine second and third trimesters of plasma malondialdehyde (product of free radical attack on membrane lipid) and vitamins C and E in pre-eclamptic Nigerian women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Total of 100 subjects, each for pre-eclamptic, apparently normal and non-pregnant women qualified for the study. Venous blood samples were taken in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and at the point of contact for non-pregnant women. Variables were analyzed using SPSS version 16, taking level of significance to be 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma malondialdehyde in the third trimester of normal pregnancy (2.03±0.71µmol/l) was found to be significantly higher than the one in the second trimester (1.65±0.62µmol/l) (p<0.0001). For pre-eclamptic subjects, the malondialdehyde in the third trimester (3.13±0.61µmol/l) was also higher than the malondialdehyde in the second trimester (3.00±1.21µmol/l). The mean vitamin C values for subjects with normal pregnancy were similar in the second and third trimesters (38.25±19.66 vs. 38.66±19.40; p=0.882). For subjects with pre-eclampsia, the mean Vit C values were also similar in the 2(nd) and 3(rd) trimesters (35.05±18.37 vs. 37.20±24.44µmol/l; p=0.175). Mean vitamin E values in the second and third trimesters were also similar for subjects with normal pregnancy (28.62±13.85 vs. 28.50±13.35µmol/l; p=0.950). A similar finding was observed in pre-eclamptic subjects (25.09±12.79 vs. 28.00±14.83µmol/l; p=0.067).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was an increased product of membrane lipid attack (malondialdehyde) with no change in plasma levels of vitamins C and E as pregnancy advances into the third trimester of both normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies. Antioxidant vitamins may not be useful in stopping the progression of free radical attack on membrane lipid to control pre-eclampsia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Adeniran S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Atiba
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Fayeofori M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Abbiyesuku
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Science, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Temitope A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: 'Niran-atiba
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Dolapo P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Oparinde
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Olabamiji A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Ajose
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Rasaq A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Akindele
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000502:physiology; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood*; D008563:Membrane Lipids / Q000502:physiology; D009549:Nigeria; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second / Q000097:blood; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third / Q000097:blood; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D008563:Membrane Lipids; D014810:Vitamin E; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D001205:Ascorbic Acid
keywords: Free radical; Lipid peroxidation; Malondiadehyde; Pre-eclampsia; Trimester; Vitamins