Vitamins E, A and beta-carotene are basic lipophilic antioxidants for the human organism, which protect cellular membranes and blood lipoproteins against oxidative stress and resulting damages. This way they counteract the arisement and development of numerous metabolic degenerative diseases. Thus, in case of such diseases monitoring of the above mentioned antioxidants concentration in blood plasma could facilitate diagnosis and therapy. However, the time on tests results influences span from blood collection till the performance of determination of these substances, since they are unstable and undergo quick decomposition.
The aim of the study was the establishment of impassable time in which should be determined the concentrations of the a/m antioxidants in blood plasma to obtain reliable results. The related reference data are as scarce and ambiguous.
Selective and sensitive spectrophotometric methods for vitamins E, A and beta-carotene determination were applied in the study. The material was venous blood collected on heparin, without any preservatives, simultaneously from all selected patients no having organic diseases. After blood cells centrifugation, the obtained plasma portions were connected for unification of component concentrations, and the a/m antioxidant determinations in taken sample were performed measuring absorbance (A) for the time of storage t = 0. Remaining plasma was divided into two parts: one stored at 20°C, second at 0÷4°C. The samples were taken from them after t = 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 18 and 24 hours, and determinations were subjected as previously with A measurements.
Plasma stored at 20°C was characterised by the increase of A value for t > 2 h, probably due to a stronger absorption of the studied antioxidants’ decomposition products. The temperature 0÷4°C did not inhibit significantly this process.
Therefore, the determinations of vitamins E, A and b-carotene in blood plasma have to be performed within first two hours after blood collection. Any longer storage of plasma requires its deep freezing.
The study was supported by the Medical University grant No. 502-17-552.

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