Plasma non-enzymatic antioxidants-vitamin C, E, beta-carotenes, reduced glutathione levels and total antioxidant activity in oral sub mucous fibrosis.

BACKGROUND Oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) is a crippling slowly progressive disease of oral cavity that predominantly affects people habit of consuming areca nut and its commercial preparations which generates high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during their metabolism. OBJECTIVE The objective of this present study is to evaluate the role of oxidative stress in causation and progression of OSMF by measuring the levels of nonenzymatic antioxidants in OSMF patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS For this study we selected 27 newly diagnosed OSMF patients of both sex with age group between 23 to 40 years and the same number of age and sex matched healthy individuals were selected as control group. In both the groups we measured plasma non enzymatic antioxidants like vitamin A. E, C and reduced glutathione. Total antioxidant activity was also assessed in both the groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS We observed a very low levels of plasma non-enzymatic antioxidants (p < 0.001) and at the same time a very poor antioxidant activity (p < 0.001) in OSMF patients when compared to controls. Therefore, consumption of tobacco or areca quid creates an oxidative stress environment which might plays a major role in the causation of OSMF.