European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

CHANGES IN PLASMA LIPIDS AND ANTIOXIDANT ENZYMES IN INSULIN RESISTANT DIABETIC RETINOPATHY: EFFECTS OF NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS SUPPLIMENTATION

Prof. Souvik Banerjee, Prof. Krishnajyoti Goswami*, Prof. Asok Bandyopadhyay, Prof. Chittaranjan Maity

ABSTRACT

Plasma lipids and antioxidant enzymes were assayed in uncomplicated diabetes mellitus, type 2 and in diabetic retinopathy patients. According to their plasma insulin status these groups were further subdivided into normoinsulin groups and insulin resistant groups. Oxidative stress was present in all the groups as evident by increased malonaldehyde and decreased ascorbic acid/ dehydroascorbic acid ratio. Triglyceride, very low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride/ high density lipoprotein cholesterol molar ratio have been found to be highly increased along with superoxide dismutase in insulin resistant retinopathy patients. The insulin resistance was found to be maximum in this group which paralleled the increased level of dehydroascorbic acid. Oral supplementation of Ascorbic acid, Vitamin E and mixed carotenoids could normalize all the parameters in the different groups except in insulin resistant diabetic retinopathy group where the values remained partially elevated. The prognostic value of the elevated parameters and the role of insulin vis-à-vis oxidative stress have been discussed.

Keywords: Insulin resistance, Dehydroascorbic acid, Antioxidant enzymes, Plasma lipids, Diabetic Retinopathy.