Short communication, Note
Effect of ecological factors on the appearance of toxic porphyria. I. alcoholism and D-DALA
D. Dimov
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, JAZU, Zagreb
Danica Prpić-Majić
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, JAZU, Zagreb
T. Beritić
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, JAZU, Zagreb
Antonija Keršanc
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, JAZU, Zagreb
Višnja Karačić
; Institut za medicinska istraživanja i medicinu rada, JAZU, Zagreb
Abstract
The activity of delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (D-DALA) in chronic alcoholics (N = 51) was analysed along with the parallel determination of the concentration of delta-amninolevulinic acid (DALA) in a single urine sample. In 12 patients with the chronic liver lesions the elimination of hem precursors in the urine and the activity of D-DALA in the blood were also analysed. The results have shown that in chronic alcoholics over 500/o of subjects had a reduced D-DALA activity, while the DALA elimination was slightly increased in 14% of subjects. In patients with chronic liver lesions the elimination of porphyrins and their precursors was normal while the activity of D-DALA was slightly inhibited in 6 patients. Although the results obtained in the group of chronic alcoholics speak for the effect of ethyl alcohol on the D-DALA activity, no conclusive statement is possible because some other known potential inhibitors of this enzyme cannot be ruled out. Also, in order to give a definite judgment about the inhibition of D-DALA in chronic liver diseases, it would be necessary to examine a larger number of patients with alcohol-induced liver lesions.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
168969
URI
Publication date:
21.6.1972.
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