DefinePK

Abstract

Malaria infection has been found to be associated with lipid peroxidation accompanying reduction in antioxidant capacity of the infected patients especially Plasmodium falciparum infection. In this study, a biomarker of lipid peroxidation, Malondialdehyde MDA was evaluated in adult 18-45 years Nigerian patients with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria infection. The research group is comprised of fifty patients with P. falciparum and fifty with P.vivax malaria confirmed patients attending the outpatient department of University of Benin Health Services Department, University of Benin, Benin City. Their lipid peroxidation products MDA values estimated spectrophotometrically were compared to that of the control group who are fifty apparently healthy tested malaria negative subjects. Result showed a significant increase p0.05 in Malondialdehyde level in malaria positive patients n 100 7.670.42 M L-1 compared to the control malaria negative patients n 50 4.430.32 M L-1. This increase in Malondialdehyde level was higher in P.vivax malaria patients n 50 7.940.27 M L-1 than in P. falciparum malaria n 50 7.410.38 M L-1 and increases as the degree of parasitaemia increases. Malondialdehyde activity in malaria was higher in males than in females and among the young adults than in the old adults. The study specified malaria to induced oxidative stress which is higher in male and in the young and as the degree of parasitaemia increases and more severe with P.vivax malaria infection. Conclusively, supplementation of diet with antioxidants along anti-malaria drugs during treatment of malaria patients is recommended.