Evaluation of the oxidative stress in chronic alcoholics

The present study was conducted to assess the activity of Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT) and its association with oxidative stress in alcoholics.

Sixty male alcoholics with a history of alcohol abuse for more than five years were the subjects of this study. Twenty healthy male volunteers who matched in age and the socio-economic status, served as the control subjects.

GGT, reduced glutathione (GSH, a key intra-cellular antioxidant) and malondialdehyde (MDA, a marker of the oxidative stress) were assayed in the plasma of the two groups, and the results were statistically analyzed. The activity of the plasma GGT, known as a marker of Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD); was significantly higher in the alcoholics as compared to that in the healthy controls.

There was a significant positive correlation between the enzyme activity and the plasma levels of MDA and this indicated that there was an increased release of this enzyme with enhanced oxidative damage, due to the generation of oxygen free radicals in the study group. There was a significantly increased level of MDA and a decrease in the level of GSH in the alcoholics as compared to those in the controls. Significant negative correlations between GGT and GSH, and between MDA and GSH were observed. The present study demonstrates that alcoholics have a compromised antioxidant defense system.