Assessment of Antioxidant Vitamins Retinol and aTocopherol in Plasma and Ascorbic Acid in Plasma and Mononuclear Leukocytes in Type 2 Diabetics

he incidence of Type 2 diabetes is on T the rise and along with this increase there is a growing interest in the efficacy of antioxidant vitamin therapy in the treatment of this malady. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, the levels of antioxidant vitamins retinol, a-tocopherol and ascorbic acid were measured with HPLC and colorimetric method, in plasma and mononuclear leukocytes of patients with diagnosed Type 2 diabetes(n=62). Results: We observed significantly lower ascorbic acid levels in mononuclear leukocytes in our study group when compared to controls. Conclusion: While these results are not definitive, we believe they do indicate that further studies are needed to include a larger segment of the population and an evaluation of dietary intakes and habits.