[The functioning of the glutathione system in patients with acute viral hepatitis B].

As many as 160 patients with acute virus hepatitis B (AVHB) were examined over time. Spectroscopy was used to study the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PDH), glutathione peroxidase-1 (GP1), glutathione peroxidase-2 (GP2), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione transferase (GT) and to measure the concentration of reduced glutathione (GSH) in the blood serum and in red blood cells. Within the first days of the icteric period, the activity of all the enzymes rose, followed by reduction of the activity of G-6-PDH, GP1, GP2, GR and the concentration of GSH at the height of the disease. The GT activity remained high throughout the entire disease period.