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Oxidative stress and the
effect of riboflavin supplementation in individuals with
uncomplicated malaria infection
B. O. George* and O. Ojegbemi
Department
of Biochemistry, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
ebelegeorge@yahoo.com.
Accepted
26 January, 2009 |
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This study evaluated the effect of riboflavin supplementation
in malaria patients. Fifteen patients (GpA) were given
chloroquine tablets (25 mg/kg-body weight for three days,
while 15 others (GpB) were given riboflavin tablets (300 mg
per day for five days in addition to chloroquine). Twenty
healthy individuals who were not given any drug served as
control. Packed cell volume (PCV) and haemoglobin (Hb)
levels in the patients were significantly lower (p< 0.05)
while their serum lipid hydroperoxide (LHP) levels were
significantly higher compared to the control subjects during
the study period. Five days after commencement of treatment
the PCV and Hb levels increased significantly by 4 and 6%,
respectively, in GpA compared to14 and 13% in GpB. The LHP
level reduced by 9% in GpA compared to 31% in the
supplemented group. The negative correlation observed
between PCV and LHP (r= -0.648, p<0.05, n=30) and also
between Hb and LHP (r=-0.825, p<0.05, n=30), suggests
anaemia due to destruction of erythrocytes. The results show
that there is oxidative stress in malaria infection and that
chloroquine supplementation with riboflavin could reduce
lipid peroxidation of erythrocytes and improve the outcome
of malaria.
Key
words:
Malaria, chloroquine, riboflavin, haemoglobin, packed cell
volume, lipid hydroperoxide. |
