Status of blood antioxidant enzymes in alcoholic cirrhosis.

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. However, very few reports are available on their involvement in the toxicity of alcoholic cirrhosis. The present study was undertaken in 44 male subjects to evaluate the role of oxidative stress in liver injury with special reference to alcoholic or non alcoholic cirrhosis. It was observed that the parameters of liver function like total bilirubin, Alanine Transaminase (ALT), Aspartate Transaminase (AST), Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), gamma Glutamyl transfarase (gammaGT) were increased in cirrhotic (alcoholic or non alcoholic) patients as compared to normal controls. However antioxidant enzymes like Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Glutathine peroxidase (GPx) lipid peroxidation marker, Malondialdehyde (MDA) showed significant changes only in alcoholic cirrhosis and not in non alcoholic cirrhosis when compared with normal controls. The possibility of assessment of antioxidant enzymes to differentiate between alcoholic or non alcoholic or non alcoholic cirrhosis is postulated.