Decreased hepatic glutathione in chronic alcoholic patients

The metabolism of ethanol can result in depletion of reduced glutathione (GSH) via adduct formation and oxidation to GSSG. In this study, the glutathione concentration in liver tissue of chronic alcoholic patients (n = 20) was measured using a specific chromatographic method. The results are compared to values obtained from a group of selected controls (n = 10), and correlated to liver histology and blood biochemistry. All of the alcoholics had markedly lower hepatic GSH concentrations than the control group (medians = 2.17 vs 3.88 mumol/g liver, respectively). No significant differences in liver GSH were found among alcoholic subgroups who had slightly altered or normal histology and/or blood tests vs those with advanced pathology. A decrease in hepatic GSH concentration seems to be a consistent characteristic of chronic alcohol abuse which occurs even in the absence of evident liver damage.