Effectiveness of vitamin E on oxidative stress in patients with leprosy, multibacillary form of under treatment

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Leprosy is a chronic contagious infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae, and has not been wiped out in Brazil, which currently ranks second in the absolute number of cases, second only to India. The disease is not leprosy causes oxidative stress, but the therapy used. Several studies show the reduction of oxidative stress in different pathology, the use of vitamin E. In leprosy, however, the literature is scarce about this effect. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was the reduction by vitamin E, oxidative stress caused by the use of dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine for treating leprosy patients, the multibacillary form. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We reviewed the previous presence of oxidative stress in 32 leprosy patients, the multibacillary form, through blood tests and then the patients were divided into two groups randomly, with 16 patients in each group, namely: groups with vitamin E “and” control “. Patients in the group with vitamin E “made use of 800 IU / day orally, vitamin E and” control “group did not use vitamin supplement. After 30, 60 and 90 days of treatment, blood samples were collected from two groups to determine the concentration of methemoglobin and the presence of Heinz bodies. RESULTS: The results were subjected to statistical test Chi-square (χ2). No difference was found between the two groups. CONCLUSION: We conclude that vitamin E dose and duration of treatments, does not confer a protective effect against oxidative stress caused by dapsone, rifampicin and clofazimine used by patients with multibacillary leprosy.