Erythrocyte glutathione S-Transferase activity in human administered with five antimalarial drugs

In vivo investigation to ascertain the capacities of five antimalarials drugs (Fansidar, Halfan, quinine, Coartem and chloroquine phosphate) to alter/distort non-parasitized human erythrocyte (HbAA genotype) glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity was carried out. Apparent healthy and clinically confirmed non-malarious male volunteers enrolled for this study. The incubation of human erythrocytes with 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) resulted in almost quantitative conjugation of glutathione (GSH) to form S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl) glutathione. The reaction formed the basis for the spectrophotometric determination of GST activity. Determination of GST activity was carried out before (control; t=0 hour) and after (tests; i.e. at t=3, 6 and 18 hours) the five (5) antimalarial drugs were administered to the human volunteers. The control/reference values ranged between 3.27±0.13 and 3.40±0.05 )iu/gHb. Generally, the pattern of in vivo erythrocyte GST activity with time in the presence of the five antimalarial drugs showed a two-phase profile. The first stage showed decreasing levels of relative GST activity within approximate time range: (6