Red blood cell superoxide dismutase and catalase activities in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis treated with adrenocorticotropic hormone.

The purpose of this study was to determine superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities in erythrocytes of patients with multiple sclerosis treated with ACTH. SOD activity in hemolysates was determined according to the method of Misra and Fridovich and calculated as units per gram of hemoglobin (Hb). CAT activity in hemolysates was determined with Beers and Sizer's method and expressed in IU/g Hb. SOD activity in control group was (1.61 +/- 0.45) x 10(3) U/g Hb whereas, the activity of CAT amounted to (5.88 +/- 1.36) x 10(4) U/g Hb. Before the treatment, SOD activity was decreased by approximately 20% ((1.25 +/- 0.25) x 10(3) U/g Hb) while that of CAT-by about 7.7% ((5.43 +/- 0.68) x 10(4) U/g Hb) in comparison to the normal control. After treatment with ACTH, activity of both enzymes increased: SOD-by about 34.4% to (1.68 +/- 0.38) x 10(3) U/g Hb and CAT-by about 7% to (6.29 +/- 0.55) x 10(4) U/g Hb. Results of investigations showed that ACTH caused an increase in CAT and SOD activities in erythrocytes of patients after three-week treatment.