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effect of infection of the filarial parasite brugia malayi - Pondicherry ...

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A reduction in <strong>the</strong> total thiol contents was observed in <strong>the</strong> present study in different<br />

organs <strong>of</strong> B.<strong>malayi</strong> infected animals. A significant w.05) positive comlation was<br />

observed between thiol status and GSH levels in all <strong>the</strong> organs (Figs. 95-99) such as liver<br />

(d.96), testes (~0.9). brain (~0.98). heart (r=0.96) and lungs (I4.89). (Kosower et al.<br />

(1982) had shown a direct link between <strong>the</strong> thiol status <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> membrane and cellular GSH.<br />

This shows that <strong>the</strong> function <strong>of</strong> GSH is to serve as a reducer <strong>of</strong> membrane protein<br />

disulphides and to avert membrane thiol oxidation. The decreased GSH concentration<br />

observed in <strong>the</strong> present study had contributed to decreased thiol status, while in lungs <strong>the</strong><br />

availability <strong>of</strong> GSH had increased <strong>the</strong> thiol level. The decreased total thiol levels in <strong>the</strong><br />

B.<strong>malayi</strong> infected animals were restored to <strong>the</strong> normal levels after DEC <strong>the</strong>rapy, which is<br />

due to <strong>the</strong> restoration <strong>of</strong>GSH levels (sec. 4.1.2.3.2).<br />

4.13.5 Ascorbic acid<br />

The antioxidant property <strong>of</strong> ascorbic acid is <strong>of</strong>ten associated with its ability to<br />

regenerate vitamin E h m vitamin E radical (Niki eta/., 1984). Nishlkimi (1975) had shown<br />

that ascorbate reacts with superoxide and converts it to Hz@. Ascorbic acid levels in plasma<br />

were found to be decreased due to P.vivar <strong>infection</strong> (Irwin and Hutchins, 1976; Frei er a/.,<br />

1988). Tappel (1969) and Grimble and Hughes (1967) reported that GSH is required for <strong>the</strong><br />

conversion <strong>of</strong> dehydroascorbate to ascorbate. In <strong>the</strong> present study ascorbic acid levels were<br />

found to be low in liver, brain, testes and heart except for lungs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> B.<strong>malayi</strong> infected<br />

animals, which is due to <strong>the</strong> alteration in GSH level during <strong>infection</strong>. The ascorbic acid level<br />

and GSH had positive comlation in all <strong>the</strong> organs (Figs. 100-104) and it was significant<br />

w0.05) in liver (r=0.99), testes (~0.89)~ brain (r= 0.88) and heart (14.97) only. And <strong>the</strong><br />

restoration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ascorbic acid levels observed in <strong>the</strong> infected animals after DEC treatment<br />

is due to <strong>the</strong> restored GSH levels (sec. 4.1.2.3.2).

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