Total antioxidant capacity is reduced in Crohn’s disease

Abstract

In previous work we identified depletion of the micronutrient glutathione in colon from patients with Crohn’s disease. Since there are several linked intestinal antioxidant systems, we hypothesized that there would be global alteration of the tissue content of antioxidants in Crohn’s disease. We therefore examined total antioxidant capacity and lipid hydroperoxide levels in colon from non-obstructed neoplasia and acquired megacolon as non-inflammatory controls and in colon from Crohn’s disease. Total antioxidant capacity in the mucosal-submucosal layer was decreased in Crohn’s disease (pANOVA = .02) and there was a strong trend toward decreased total antioxidant capacity in the muscularis externa layer from Crohn’s disease ( p = .06). There were trends toward increased lipid hydroperoxide levels in Crohn’s disease. This study supports the presence of a generalized consumption of tissue antioxidants in Crohn’s disease. The clinical response to nutritional therapy in patients with Crohn’s disease may be related to repletion of tissue antioxidants.