Evaluating Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes during Human Menstrual Cycle

There is a complex interaction between the hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovary in the human menstrual cycle. There is increasing evidence about the role of oxidative stress on female reproductive tract. The purpose of this study was to determine the activities of antioxidant enzymes; superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase and total antioxidant capacity during the menses, follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in twenty women. In addition, the relationship between the activity of antioxidant enzyme and estradiol, progesterone, LH, FSH, and testosterone were evaluated. There was no significant difference between the activity of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase and total antioxidant capacity during the menses, follicular and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle. We found a significant correlation between LH and FSH with the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase during the luteal phase (p<0.05). Our results showed that there were not significant differences in activity of antioxidant enzymes during the menstrual cycle.