Oxidative stress and antioxidants in epilepsy

In the present study, crythrocyte membrane lipid peroxidation, the percentage hemolysis, erythrocyte enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GP), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase, and plasma vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A and ceruloplasmin activities and concentrations were determined in 29 epileptic patients and 50 normal controls. Ten patients who were treated with phenobarbital and who did not get convulsions for 1 year were considered fur followup. Lipid peroxidation and percentage hemolysis in patients with epilepsy was significantly higher when compared to controls ols. Moreover, plasma ceruloplasmin concentrations were also markedly increased in these cases. Erythrocyte GR and plasma vitamin C and A concentrations were significantly lower in epileptics when compared to controls. In the followup patients, the crythrocyte GR was significantly higher than their pre-treated condition. Furthermore, the plasma vitamin A, E and C concentrations have attained the normal range. This study indicates that the antioxidant status in blood of epileptic patients which was low compared to controls, improved after treatment, suggesting, that free radicals may be implicated in epilepsy. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.