Evaluation of salivary total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women

Menopause is a natural and expected stage of development that occurs in the life of a woman and is characterized by the permanent end of menstruation. Ovarian dysfunction is a result of permanent alterations to the ovaries’ reproductive and hormonal activities. The reproductive system of a woman is not the only thing that is impacted by fluctuations in hormone levels. Hormones have powerful influence on the development of the skeleton and the mouth cavity, as well as on the integrity of these structures. The oral cavity is significantly affected by them. Different stages of a woman’s life, such as puberty, menstruation, pregnancy, and menopause, each have their own unique impact on the oral health. Oxidative stress is a condition that occurs when there is an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants, with the former making it possible for living cells to sustain damage. Lipid peroxidation and the subsequent breakdown products, such as malondialdehyde (MDA), are formed, and these compounds can be observed in biological fluids. Total antioxidant capacity is a term that is frequently used to refer to the antioxidant activity of the “nonspecific” antioxidant pool.The objective: to assess of salivary total antioxidant capacity, salivary malondialdehyde, salivary pH in pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women and correlation between pH and salivary biomarkers. Materials and methods. A case-control study was conducted in 80 healthy women. The study included 80 females between the ages of 40 and 55 years; specifically, 40 persons were premenopausal and 40 women were postmenopausal.In the saliva of the patients, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and MDA level were determined using the immunoassay method, and the pH level was also studied. Data description, analysis and presentation were performed using Statistical Package for social Science (SPSS version 22, Chicago, Illinois, USA). Results. The findings indicated that the pH value in the post-menopausal group was significantly higher than that of the pre-menopausal group. In comparison to the post-menopausal group, the pre-menopausal group exhibited a significantly higher level of TAC. While MDA level was significantly greater in the post-menopausal group than in the pre-menopausal group. A significant correlation of salivary pH with biomarkers of TAC and MDA of saliva was found, but there was no significant correlation between MDA and TAC in premenopausal women. On the other hand, there is a non-significant negative correlation between salivary TAC and pH level, as well as an insignificant correlation of MDA with pH and salivary TAC in postmenopausal patients. Conclusions. There are differences in salivary total antioxidant capacity and malondialdehyde level between pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women.