[Various biochemical mechanisms of alcoholic liver cirrhosis]

The authors describe the correlations between chronic alcoholism and cirrhosis known not only from clinical observations but also from retrospective assessment of liver biopsy. However, the mechanism of hepatocellular injury by ethanol remains still unclear. It seems that three hypotheses prevail presently: 1) acetaldehyde which is a product of ethanol oxidation in the liver forms with certain biogenic amines alkaloids of the type of salsolinol causing cirrhosis, 2) ethanol or/and acetaldehyde catalyse the development of free radicals which may induce liver damage through lipid peroxides etc, 3) acetaldehyde formed during ethanol oxidation is released into blood or tissue fluids where it binds to albumins with formation of cytotoxic complexes leading to cirrhosis.