Evaluation of plasma superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in type 2 diabetic patients

Antioxidants are agents that protect, prevent, or reduce the extent of oxidative damage to biomolecules. These agents may be enzymatic, non-enzymatic, or metal chelators. The enzymatic antioxidants include catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). SOD, a copper, zinc and manganese-containing enzyme, reacts with superoxide radical to form hydrogen peroxide, which is then converted to water by GPx (a glutathione-dependent selenoprotein), or catalase, a heme enzyme. Decreased activity of these antioxidant enzymes may increase the susceptibility of diabetic patients to oxidative injury. An appropriate support of antioxidant supplies may help in preventing clinical complications of diabetes. In view of this, supplementary trace elements such as selenium, copper, zinc, and manganese, essential components of the enzymes, may be useful in preventing the development of diabetic complications. There are number of factors that affect an individual’s oxidative status that include gender, age, body composition, smoking status, diet, physical activity level, and the strength of defense mechanism. Hence, this study was carried out to see the relationship of these factors with antioxidant enzymes in clinically diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients.