Liver size and indices of drug metabolism in alcoholics.

The role of liver size in drug metabolism was investigated in 34 chronic alcoholics and 28 controls by comparing antipyrine half-life with biopsy content and total amount of hepatic cytochrome P-450 (P-450) and liver weight. Liver size was significantly greater in alcoholics than in controls. Total P-450 was increased and antipyrine metabolism was enhanced in alcoholics with normal histology of the liver. In subjects with alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis, the antipyrine half-life was prolonged and P-450 was decreased. Alcoholics with fatty liver had a reduced P-450 content, but the total amount of P-450 and the antipyrine half-life were normal. The results demonstrate in alcoholics that an enlarged liver of normal histological appearance is associated with enhanced drug metabolism. In subjects with fatty liver the drug metabolizing capacity per unit weight of liver is often impaired, but the increase in liver size leads to undisturbed total oxidizing capacity and normal in vivo metabolism. In alcoholic hepatitis drug metabolism is impaired in spite of hepatomegaly. In cirrhosis the enlargement of the liver appears to compensate for the decreased P-450 content resulting in only slightly decreased total P-450, and the severly impaired in vivo drug metabolism may be due to derangement of blood flow.