title: Increased free-radical activity in alcoholics.
abstract: The identification of the main dieneconjugated "free-radical marker" in human serum led to a study of free-radical activity in chronic alcoholics. 66 patients were investigated immediately after alcohol withdrawal and over 1-4 weeks' follow-up. The control groups were 76 normal subjects, 78 patients with liver disease, 30 patients on long-term antiepileptic drug treatment, 9 pregnant women, and 99 unselected hospital patients. 82% of chronic alcoholics had a significantly higher than normal level of phospholipid-esterified 9,11 linoleicacid isomer in blood collected within 24 h of their last alcoholic drink. The levels fell to normal over the next 2-4 days but continued to decline within the normal range for 2-3 weeks. There was no rise in the level of the isomer in normal controls after an acute alcohol load. The results suggest that chronic alcoholism may induce a specific detoxifying mechanism which is activated by alcohol and which entails or depends on greatly increased free-radical activity.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Clemens
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Marjot
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Patsalos
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cawood
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Norden
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Iversen
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Dormandy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals; D006801:Humans; D007536:Isomerism; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D008041:Linoleic Acids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D012016:Reference Values; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D008041:Linoleic Acids; D010743:Phospholipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D000431:Ethanol; D002784:Cholesterol; D019787:Linoleic Acid