The total free radical trapping ability of blood plasma in eclampsia.

The interaction between various antioxidants may be important in protecting against oxygen toxicity. We studied the total radical trapping capacity of the antioxidants in plasma (TRAP) and compared the TRAP-level in the patients with eclampsia with that in normal pregnant women. The measured and calculated TRAP-level was higher in the control group than in the group with eclampsia. The uric acid, vitamins E and C and sulfide concentrations were lower in the group of women with eclampsia compared with the controls. The central conclusion from this work is that for patients with eclampsia, the plasma concentrations of the essential nutrients: vitamin E, vitamin C, and cysteinerich protein are too low for optimal antioxidant systems activities.