Assessment of liver antioxidant status and mitochondrial membrane composition of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice treated with selected antimalarials

The present study was aimed at determining and comparing the effects of Artecxin (ART), P - Alaxin (P-ALA), Lonart (LON) and Chloroquine (CQ) on oxidative stress parameters and mitochondrial membrane composition in the course of malaria infection. Six groups of five mice each categorized as healthy control (non-parasitized non-treated group), parasitized-non-treated (PnT), parasitized-chloroquine-treated (positive control), parasitized-Artecxin, -Lonart and -P-Alaxin-treated groups were used for the study. Hepatic antioxidant status was assessed with levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) as well as activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in the post mitochondrial and mitochondrial fractions. Mitochondrial membrane integrity was also evaluated with activity of succinate dehydrogenase and levels of phospholipids, cholesterol and proteins in the liver mitochondria. Results revealed that treatment of parasitized mice with the antimalarial drugs significantly (p<0.05) decreased hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) and mitochondrial membrane phospholipids compared to parasitized untreated group. On the other hand, significantly (p<0.05) elevated succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity, mitochondrial membrane cholesterol level, GSH concentration, catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the post mitochondrial fraction were obtained. Thus, antimalarial drugs distort mitochondrial membrane integrity and electron transfer but reduce the malaria-induced oxidative stress on the host.