Ethanol oxidizing enzyme activites in liver disease.

1 The activites of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase, catalase and the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) dependent ethanol oxidizing system were determined in liver biopsies from nine patients with liver disease and seven control subjects with non evidence of liver disease. 2 Alcohol dehydrogenase and catalase activites were significantly lower in the patients with liver disease. 3 The activity of the NADPH dependent ethanol oxidizing system was significantly greater in the patients with liver disease, when its activity was expressed in terms of mg protein or g wet weight liver. 4 It is suggested that the greater activity of the NADPH dependent system may compensate for the low alcohol dehydrogenase activites found in patients with liver disease and maintain normal rates of ethanol metabolism.