Background and Aim: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory and autoimmune disease characterized by the degeneration of myelin sheath in the central nervous system. Vitamin D deficiency and an increase in the levels of oxidative stress and inflammation are regarded as possible causes of the disease. This review article deals with the role of vitamin D on the levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory factors in the patients with multiple sclerosis.
Material and Method: In this review study data were selectively collected by using google scholar, science direct and pubmed data bases and also by searching key words of MS, vitamin D, inflammatory factors and oxidative stress, from 1990 to 2018.
Results: Various studies have shown increased levels of pre-inflammatory factors and decreased levels of anti-inflammatory factors in the serum of the patients with MS. Therefore, active form of vitamin D, 1.25 (OH) 2D3 (calcitriol), can be effective in regulation of cellular immune function. It can decrease production of inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress but, increases anti-inflammatory cytokines. This vitamin can affect energy metabolism and its deficiency can result in increased basal metabolic rate and lack of provision of sufficient energy to the energy-dependent neurons.
Conclusion: The results of this study showed that vitamin D can play a two-way role in maintaining balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Vitamin D can improve survival of the MS patients by its antioxidant effect and reduction of oxidative stress.
key words: MS, Vitamin D, Inflammatory factors, Oxidative stress