Status of free radicals and their scavenging enzymes in pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH)

Abstract

The levels of lipid peroxidation (malonaldialdehyde), one of the consequence of free radical damage, and the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase were estimated in the blood samples of fourteen normal and thirteen pregnancy induced hypertensive patients. A marked increase in malonaldialdehyde (p < 0.001) with concomitant decrease in superoxide dismutase (p < 0.001), catalase (p < 0.001) activities were observed in PIH as compared to normal pregnancy, thereby indicating the involvement of free radicals in PIH.