Total Antioxidant Capacity in Serum of Plasmodium falciparum Malarial Infected Patients Receiving Artemisinin-Based Combination Therapy

This study was undertaken to assess the effect of artemisin-based combination therapy (ACT) on serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Eighty (80) consenting patients infected with P. falciparum malaria (40 receiving ACT and 40 yet to be treated) and 40 uninfected individuals in apparent good health were selected. Serum total antioxidant capacity was determined by the trolox equivalent method as earlier described. Results show that P. falciparum malarial infection significantly reduced (p < 0.05) serum TAC (1.25±0.11mM) when compared with values obtained from the uninfected, healthy subjects (1.76±0.09mM) and the infected patients receiving ACT (1.57±0.13Mm). ACT treatment enhanced serum TAC by 25.6% in comparison with the value obtained from malarial infected patients yet to receive treatment. Thus, treatment of P. falciparum malarial infection with ACT significantly (p<0.05) improved the capacity of antioxidants in serum of infected patients, and this represents an enhanced defense against oxidants including reactive oxygen species, ROS, generated by the malarial parasite’s –induced stimulation of the immune response.