Biomedical Research

The liver has a critical role in the metabolism, digestion, detoxification and elimination of substances from the body. The liver diseases are most prevalent and produce Reactive oxygen species which may lead to further progression of disease. This study is done to compare the oxidative stress parameters in hepatitis B virus infected patients and alcoholic hepatitis patients. The study was conducted in 3 groups with 50 individuals in each. First group comprised of normal healthy individuals, second group consisted alcoholic hepatitis patients and a third group made up of hepatitis B patients. When compared to controls, Erythrocyte MDA was significantly high and erythrocyte GSH was significantly low in both the groups of cases where as Plasma Ascorbic Acid levels were low along with Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Catalase activities in both the groups of patients. When compared between alcoholic and hepatitis B patients, except superoxide dismutase and ascorbic acid, MDA, GSH and Catalase showed no significance. The liver enzymes were also significantly raised in both forms of Hepatitis, when compared to the controls. The AST/ALT ratio was reversed (>1) in Alcoholic Hepatitis patients as compared to Hepatitis B patients and normal individuals (<1). There was a significant correlation seen on comparison between oxidative stress parameters and liver enzymes in both chemically and biologically induced hepatitis. It is suggested that GSH, MDA in erythrocyte, SOD, Catalase and Plasma Ascorbic Acid can be made an effective tool in assessing the progression of the liver disease for timely intervention.

Author(s): Krishnamurthy N, Chinmoy Ghosh , Sumathi M E, Ashakiran S, Dayanand C D
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