Estimation of serum malondialdehyde as a marker of lipid peroxidation in medical students undergoing examination-induced psychological stress

Abstract

Background: When oxidant compounds target lipids, they can initiate the lipid peroxidation process, a chain reaction that produces multiple breakdown molecules, such as Malondialdehyde (MDA). Psychological stress is reported to induce enhancement of lipid peroxidation in the brain. Objective: The present study was therefore planned to evaluate whether there is increase in oxidative stress in medical students undergoing examination induced psychological stress. Materials and Method: Institutional Ethics Committee permission and seventy nine students of either sex between the age group 19 to 21 years. Students studying in first year of medical college were recruited in the study. All students signed the written informed consent before collecting blood samples. 5 ml of blood was collected from each student in a plain vaccutainer just before appearing for viva examination. Serum was separated immediately by centrifugation and MDA was estimated using (TBA) thiobarbituric acid method. Result: We observed that in 24 individuals lipid peroxidation was higher (>3 nmol/ml) than normal level (0-3 nmol/ml). The number of female students showing higher values of MDA was higher than male students with similar values of MDA (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our study thus highlights the relation between lipid peroxidation and psychological stress and also the sex wise difference in the stress levels.

Keywords

• Lipid peroxidation
• malondialdehyde
• reactive oxygen species
• stress