|
Possible role of red palm oil supplementation in reducing
oxidative stress in HIV/AIDS and TB patients: A Review
O. O. Oguntibeju*, A. J. Esterhuyse and E. J. Truter
Department of Biomedical sciences, Faculty of Health and
Wellness Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology,
Bellville, South Africa.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
oguntibejuo@cput.ac.za. Tel: +27 21 953 8495, Fax: +27
21 959 6874.
Accepted 13 October, 2009 |
|
|
|
Infection
by HIV and/ or TB is known to cause a persistent chronic inflammation.
There are evidences that patients infected with HIV and/ or TB are under
chronic oxidative stress with a resultant decrease in endogenous and
nutritional antioxidants as well as other micronutrients. Oxidative
stress due to over production of free radicals and antioxidant
deficiency causes damage to vital biological macromolecules and organs
and further contributes to disease complications, progression and
morbidity. It has been reported that nutritional (micronutrients and
vitamin antioxidants) supplements have been reported to reduce the
severity of HIV infection/AIDS, improve immune status of the patients as
well as their quality of life. Based on previous animal studies in our
laboratory on animal models, in this review, we discuss the possible
role of red palm oil in reducing oxidative stress and thus proposed that
red palm oil supplementation could sufficiently scavenge free radicals,
increase total antioxidant capacity with the potential to reduce disease
progression and complications, increase survival and improve the general
well being of people living with TB and HIV/AIDS.
Key words:
Supplementation, oxidative stress, HIV, AIDS, tuberculosis, red palm
oil. |
|
