Background: The antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin C functions as the first line antioxidant defense against free oxygen radicals present primarily in the plasma. Examination of antioxidants in patients with tuberculosis may identify deficiencies that predispose to severe oxidant injury. However, our knowledge of the antioxidant profile and its relation to tuberculosis patients is scarce, particularly in developing countries.Aim: This study aims to estimate some vitamins antioxidant ,Vitamin A and C in both male and female patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.Patients and Methods: The present study included 26 patients (14 males and 12 females) affected with pulmonary tuberculosis. Their ages from 29-72 years in male patients and in female patients from 22-65 years. Twenty four healthy controls(12 males and 12 females) their aged from 23 – 67 years in male and in female from 23 - 60 were also included in this study. Study was under taken to evaluate the level of antioxidants like vitamin A and vitamin C in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.Results: There is a statistically significant changes in vitamins antioxidant in pulmonary tuberculosis patients in compared with healthy control. These results of serum vitamins A and C are significantly ( p < 0.001 ) decrease in both male and female pulmonary tuberculosis patients in comparison with healthy control.Conclusion: The levels of non-enzymic antioxidants such as Vitamin A, and vitamin C in serum were significantly depleted in the pulmonary tuberculosis infected subjects when compared with control. There is a strong association between vitamin A and vitamin C deficiency and malnutrition in these patients , as well as a correlation between several indexes of malnutrition and low concentrations of antioxidants may suggest the involvement of low food intake and nutrient malabsorption in the generation of oxidative stress in pulmonary tuberculosis patients.
