Oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in Egyptian favism patients

Favism occurs as the result of intolerance to the ingesting of fava beans or to the inhalation of pollen from the Vicia faba plant. Patients with favism are always Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient, but not all G6PD-deficient individuals develop hemolysis as a result of fava beans consumption.

Blood samples were collected from children with favism (n = 55) between age (2-12 years) on EDTA tubes divided into 3 groups: group 1 control group (n = 15), group 2 before blood transfusion (during hemolytic action) (n = 20) and group 3 after blood transfusion (treated) (n = 20).

It was found that in group 2 GSH level was significantly low; (1.11 ± 0.39, p < 0.001) compared to controls (26.31 ± 5.26, p < 0.001). In group 3 after blood transfusion Level of GSH rose but remained lower than normal level (5.88 ± 2.33, p < 0.001) compared to controls. As for oxidative stress parameters, both levels of H2O2 and MDA were highly significant in group 2; (213.49 ± 57.56, p < 0.001), (98.05 ± 22.34, p < 0.001) compared to controls (3.75 ± 1.164, p < 0.001), (7.38 ± 2.07, p < 0.001), respectively. Moreover, in group 3 after blood transfusion, levels of H2O2 and MDA were decreased but remained high compared to controls (66.55 ± 22.49, p < 0.001), (47.18 ± 9.62, p < 0.001) sequentially. Also, there was a negative correlation between GSH that acts as antioxidant defense enzyme and each one of oxidative stress parameters MDA & H2O2. However, there was a positive correlation between H2O2 and MDA.

From this study, it could be concluded that the favic patients have high oxidative stress (H2O2 and MDA) more than normal individuals and less antioxidant defense (GSH). With the passage of time these individuals, cells would be more vulnerable for H2O2-induced senescence.