[The blood enzymatic antioxidative potential in bronchial asthma patients]. / Investigarea potentialului antioxidativ enzimatic sanguin la pacienti cu astm bronsic.

This study aims at assessing the ability of asthma patients to defend themselves against the noxious effects of oxidative stress, known being the inflammatory nature of this disorder. As the anti-radical defence ability of the body is reflected by the antioxidative potential of blood and tissues, our study was based on the determination of the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and CAT/SOD and GPx/SOD ratios in the blood. Except for SOD, the activity of which was lower in asthma patients by -34.08%, CAT and GPx had values increased by +32.18%, respectively, with a resulting increase of CAT/SOD and GPx/SOD ratios. Our data, demonstrating a change in per-oxidants/antioxidants balance in favour of the first ones, seem to suggest that in the treatment of bronchial asthma the association of some compounds with antioxidants effects would be beneficial.

[The antioxidant systems in rheumatoid polyarthritis]. / Sistemele antioxidante în poliartrita reumatoida.

The inflammatory process from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is marked by complexity, maintenance and destruction. The inflammatory lesions are induced by oxygen free radicals, that have a great capacity of destruction. We studied 52 patients with RA (defined by ARA criteria--1987). We have observed the inflammatory rheumatic syndrome, humoral and cellular immune syndrome and the antioxidant systems, i.e.: superoxidedismutaze, glutathione and its fractions, glutathione peroxidase, the total SH groups. We have observed the decrease of the glutathione in 40% of patients and the decrease of the total SH groups in 65% of patients. The total SH groups are correlated with the severe forms of the disease. Superoxide dismutase had decrease values in 85% of cases. We have remarked that the treatment with corticosteroids and D-penicillamina improved the serum levels of the glutathione and total SH groups.