Evaluation of oxidative stress in brucella infected cows

Oxidative stress can influence the metabolism of cells in vital organs of the body. Oxidative stress is extremely dangerous as it does not exhibit any symptom and is recognisable with great difficulty by means of laboratory methods. It can be monitored with several biomarkers like antioxidants and pro-oxidants which can be assessed in serum. The inexorableness of exposure of cows to brucella infection makes oxidative stress associated with this infection an appropriate field of investigation. There is paucity of work to detect stress, which is essential to take timely corrective measures and to save the animal population. Therefore the investigation was carried out to evaluate oxidative stress in the cows suffering from brucellosis. For this serum biomarkers of oxidative stress viz. vitamin C, vitamin E, catalase, monoamine oxidase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione, xanthine oxidase, oxidase and peroxidase were determined. Results indicated that vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione activity decreased significantly in affected cows as compared to healthy cows. Serum catalase, superoxide dismutase, monoamine oxidase, glutathione reductase, xanthine oxidase, oxidase and peroxidase activities increased significantly in affected cows as compared to healthy cows. Decreased activity of vitamin C, vitamin E and glutathione indicated towards their depletion which generally occurs in the oxidative stress to scavenge the free radicals. It was concluded that oxidative stress was there in the animals. This study recommends the use of antioxidants in affected cows