[Alcoholic liver damage and impaired porphyrin metabolism]

The authors review the alcohol-induced acquired defect of the porphyrin metabolism. They think that the free radicals formed during the alcohol metabolism may have an important role in the producing of the enzyme defects and in the accomplishment of the acute attack in the genetic porphyrias. In the first part of the article they summarize the genetic hepatic porphyrias, main symptoms, the therapy and the mechanism of the free radical forming during the alcohol metabolism.