Antioxidant status of Mauritian subjects with type II diabetes mellitus

A pilot study involving 30 Type II diabetic subjects with no macrovascular and microvascular complications and 30 healthy subjects from the Republic of Mauritius was conducted to assess the erythrocyte catalase level and the plasma antioxidant activity in diabetic condition. The total antioxidant capacity was determined using the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and erythrocyte catalase activity by a catalase kit. The mean catalase activity in the diabetic group was significantly lower (8720.3 ± 290.7 nmol/min/ml) than the non-diabetic group (13341.5 ± 302.4 nmol/min/ml) (P < 0.001). Ferric reducing antioxidant power was also lower (1241.1 ± 210.2 μmolFe²⁺/L) for the diabetic compared to the control (1637.2 ± 304.2 μmolFe²⁺/L). These data suggest that the in vivo antioxidant defense is compromised in the subjects with type II diabetes mellitus.