Antioxidant Vitamins And Enzymes Status In Patients With Alcoholic Liver Disease.
2742-2747
Correspondence
Surapaneni Krishna Mohan,
Assistant Professor,
Department of Biochemistry,
Saveetha Medical College & Hospital,
Saveetha University, Saveetha Nagar,
Thandalam, Chennai – 602 105, Tamilnadu, INDIA.
E-mail: krishnamohan_surapaneni@yahoo.com
OBJECTIVES: The exact pro-oxidant and antioxidant status in alcoholic liver disease among the chronic alcoholics is still not clear. Consumption of excess amounts of ethanol causes liver damage by several mechanisms. Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with increased incidence of variety of illnesses including cirrhosis. Studies have shown that ethanol consumption may result in increased oxidative stress with increased formation of lipid peroxides and free radicals.
METHODS: To add a new insight to the question, changes in the levels of antioxidant vitamins ascorbic acid and plasma vitamin E (non enzymatic antioxidant parameters) and activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase in erythrocytes were measured in 30 patients with alcoholic liver disease (study subjects) and compared to 30 age and sex matched healthy subjects (controls). Statistical analysis between controls and patients was performed by the unpaired t-test using the SPSS package
RESULTS: It was observed that there was a significant increase in the activities of SOD and GPx and a significant decrease in erythrocyte ascorbic acid, plasma vitamin E levels and catalase activity in patients with alcoholic liver disease, among chronic alcoholics when compared to controls.
CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study have shown higher oxygen free radical production, evidenced by the decreased levels of ascorbic acid, vitamin E and catalase activity, supporting the hypothesis that there is increased oxidative stress in patients with alcoholic liver disease. The increased activities of antioxidant enzymes may be a compensatory regulation in response to increased oxidative stress. The decreased concentrations of the antioxidant vitamin status support the hypothesis that lipid peroxidation is an important causative factor in the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease among chronic alcoholics. These data reveal that antioxidant defense mechanisms might be impaired in these patients. These findings also provide a theoretical basis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies, such as antioxidant supplementation.