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Oxygen derived free radicals have been implicated in the causation of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, evidence of free radical injury and oxidative stress in patients with RA is compared with healthy subjects by estimating superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, which are anti-oxidant enzymes in RBCs, Glucose 6 Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) in RBCs and serum Malon-di-aldehyde (MDA) levels. Serum MDA levels in RA could be used as a biochemical marker of disease activity and for monitoring the response to treatment. There was no definite correlation between enzyme levels of SOD, catalase and G6PD and disease activity