Chloroquine and Vitamin Combination Effects on P. berghei Induced Oxidative Stress

Abstract

Aim: The effect of chloroquine, folic and ascorbic acid on malaria parasite induced oxidative stress was the focus of this study. The study relevance derives from the need to understand the specific roles of these individual organic acids used in combination with chloroquine. Study Design: The design involves five groups of control (non-parasitized-nontreated), parasitized nontreated (PnT), parasitized chloroquine and ascorbic acid treated (Pcq+asT), parasitized chloroquine and folic acid treated (Pcq+faT) and parasitized chloroquine, ascorbic and folic acid treated (Pcq+asT+faT). Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biochemistry Ambrose Alli University (Faculty of Natural Sciences). This study is part of a research that lasted three years. Materials and Methods: Treatment regime was for three days after parasitemia in mice was established with Gemsa stain. All biochemical and haematological parameters assayed for in this project were conducted using standard procedures. Result: Chloroquine and vitamin treatments significantly (P=.05) reduced erythrocyte fragility (EF), total bilirubin and increased packed cell volume (PCV) when compared with PnT parameters of mice. Treatments significantly (P=.05) increased serum albumin compared with control and had no effect on the serum albumin levels of PnT mice. Treatment with cq+asa and cq+as+fa resulted in significant (P=.05) oxidative stress in mice compared to control but reduced (P=.05) oxidative stress in comparison with PnT mice. Exceptionally, chloroquine and folic acid treatment did not show any significant change in oxidative stress and superoxide dismutase activity in mice when compared with control. Conclusion: The results suggest chloroquine and folic acid treatment to be more effective than ascorbic acid or other combination treatment employed in this study in the management of malaria induced oxidative stress.