Antioxidant Defense in Erythrocytes and Plasma of Patients with Active and Quiescent Crohn Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: A Chemiluminescent Study

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be considered multifactorial in genetic background and with regard to neuro-endocrine regulation of immune reactivity to antigens of alimentary and bacterial origin (1). The roles of free radicals and the antioxidant defense mechanisms of the intestine are also well documented (2)(3). Aminosalicylates such as 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), when used in therapy, exhibit superoxide and hydroxyl-radical scavenger properties (4). This medication can partially restore the depleted mucosal antioxidant protective function that develops in IBD. We used a simple luminol-dependent chemiluminescence method to study the antioxidant protective mechanisms in patients with IBD. Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence, as an indicator of a free radicals, is suitable for detection of the antioxidant status of tissue. The H2O2/·OH-microperoxidase-luminol system can be used to measure the total scavenger capacity (TSC) of the plasma and erythrocytes. We also determined the H+-donor activity and reducing power in the plasma. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl, stable radical; 5,5′-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid; luminol; and microperoxidase were obtained from Sigma. All other reagents were purchased from Reanal. Twenty-six Caucasian volunteers (10 males, ages 26.6 ± 11.3 years; 16 females, ages 34.2 ± 13.6 years) served as a control group. Patients were divided into three groups—inactive, moderate, and severe—based on the severity of their disease according to the Crohn disease activity index (CDAI) and the ulcerative colitis (UC) activity index. Routine laboratory data and numerical values for pain, stool characteristics, well-being, and other factors were used to calculate the CDAI and the UC activity index (5). The UC activity index classifications for 22 patients were as follows: inactive, 1 male, age 19 years, and 3 females, …