[Prostaglandins in chronic liver diseases]

The paper summarizes the results of in-depth study of the prostaglandin system in healthy individuals and in patients with chronic hepatic diseases. Radioimmunological, gas chromatographic, enzyme immunoassays, and other biochemical studies have first provided evidence for the relationship between the impaired endogenous biological synthesis of prostaglandins (PG) E, F2 alpha, I2, thromboxane A2, the development of metabolic and hormonal disorders and the severity of hepatic failure in chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis of varying etiology, which leads to the conclusion that PGs play an important role in the regulation of liver function and in the pathogenesis of chronic damages. Previously unknown biochemical mechanisms of decreased PGE, PGF2 alpha, and PGI2 in this diseased organ have been revealed, which trigger the deficiency of their precursors (essential fatty acids), the impairment of lipid metabolism and the activity decline of prostaglandin synthetase and adenylate cyclase, etc. A concept on the multiplicity of the biochemical mechanisms responsible for systemic PG action, whose impairments are essential in the pathogenesis of chronic hepatic diseases has been forwarded. The findings are discussed by comparing recent data published in the literature on this problem.