Oxidative stress and antioxidant status in patients with alcoholic liver disease.

BACKGROUND [corrected] Alcoholic liver diseases (ALD) are very common in lower socio-economical strata due to heavy drinking habits and multiple nutritional deficiencies. Ethanol causes liver damage by many mechanisms. The generation of lipid peroxidation by free radicals has been proposed as a mechanism for ethanol induced hepatotoxicity. These free radicals are destroyed by anti-oxidants. Many anti-oxidants are present in the diet, e.g., vitamin E, vitamin C etc. However, poor nutrition or malabsorption leads to deficiency of these vitamins. This may impair the anti-oxidative defense leading to ethanol induced oxidative stress and then to liver damage. METHODS Oxidative stress and antioxidant defense were assessed in patients with alcoholic liver disease. Serum malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations were measured as an index of lipid peroxidation, i.e., oxidative stress; and serum vitamins E and C concentrations were measured as an index of antioxidant status. RESULTS Serum MDA concentrations were increased with the increase in severity of the disease. Concentrations of serum vitamins E and C were decreased in patients with alcoholic liver disease as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS Our observations may be due to increased demands of the same or increased utilization.