[High-dose reduced glutathione in the therapy of alcoholic hepatopathy].

Chronic alcohol consumption lowers the liver level of reduced glutathione (GSH), a substance known to have antioxidant activity. The present study involved 33 chronic alcoholics who during a detoxifying treatment were given large i.v. doses of GSH for two weeks. Before and after this treatment, blood tests for the evaluation of liver function were performed which showed significant improvements of the enzyme pattern, thus confirming the role of glutathione in protecting liver parenchyma in chronic alcoholics.