EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON SOME BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF ALCOHOLICS

ABSTRACT

This work was aimed at finding the effects of alcohol on some biochemical parameters. A total of one hundred and eighty (180) apparently healthy, non-hypertensive male alcoholics were used for the study. Forty (40) non-consumers of alcohol were used as control. The activity of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in the control was 10.50±2.00 IU/L while it was 16.50±1.50 IU/L; 17.50±2.00 IU/L and 18.31±2.00 IU/L in alcoholics who showed preference for palmwine, beer and distilled spirit respectively. Also, the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the control was 9.51±0.35 IU/L while it was 18.44±0.40 IU/L, 19.21±0.19 IU/L, 20.32±0.64 IU/L i n alcoholics who showed preference for palmwine, beer and distilled spirit respectively. The ALT and AST activities of alcoholic subjects who showed preference for distilled spirit was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those who showed preference for palmwine and beer. The activities of alcoholics who showed preference for palmwine was the lowest. Furthermore, the serum total bilirubin concentration of the alcoholics was significantly higher (p < 0.05) compared with the control. The serum total bilirubin concentrations were 18.65±2.10

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON SOME BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF ALCOHOLICS

CHAPTER ONE

SOME BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF ALCOHOLICS

CHAPTER ONE

• INTRODUCTION

Consumption of alcoholic drinks by women is common worldwide  but its use in pregnancy has become a major public health problem (Chaya et al., 2007). In USA, alcohol use by pregnant women with rates up to 16.2% have been reported annually while that of non-pregnant women is as high as 56.3% (CDC, 2009). The rates of alcohol use by African women are on the increase ranging from 1% to 30% for current use drinkers and 4% to 41%  for heavy drinkers (Martinez et al,2011).

Government surveys in the United States indicate that about 1 in 12 pregnant women drink during pregnancy and about 1 in 30 pregnant women report binge drinking (five or more drinks on any one occasion) (CDC, 2006). Despite public-awareness campaigns and warning labels on alcoholic beverages, roughly one of every eight women in the United States continues to drink during her pregnancy (Bakhireva and Savage, 2011). Women who binge drink or drink heavily greatly increase the risk of alcohol-related damage to their babies.

Alcohol, specificallyethanol is a potent central nervous system depressant, with a range of side effects (Murray, 2002). Long term effects that  may  be  associated  with  alcohol  intake  include  brain  damage,heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, sexual, nerve, skin and muscle related problems. In women generally, there are more rapid end-organ effects of alcohol as a result of a decreased ‘first – pass’ metabolism (Greenfield and Sugarman, 2001). In pregnant women, alcohol can precipitate preterm labor and can lead to decreased production of breast milk (Mennella et al., 2005)

Alcoholic women are at greater risk of developing breast cancer, ulcers, infertility, liver and heart diseases, osteoporosis, pancreatitis, memory loss, anaemia, hypertension, malnutrition, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and compulsive shopping (Gapstur, 2001; Baer et al., 2002; Aronson, 2003; Tolstrup et al., 2003; Chander and McCaul, 2003; Singletary and Eggert et al, 2004; Plant et al, 2005; Williams et al., 2005). Women have at least as many adverse consequences of alcohol use as observed in men, and have more evidence of alcohol-related physical and psychological harm (Gentilello et al., 2000). Reports have shown that women are more susceptible than men to the toxic effects of alcohol on some vital organs (Smith-Warner et. al, 1998; Urbano-Marquez et. al, 1995; Mann et. al, 1992; Mezey et. al, 1988 and Gentilello et. al, 2000). The potential severity of the problems associated with alcohol intake by women increases with pregnancy. There is evidence to show that pregnant women who take as little as one or two alcoholic drink a day have a greater risk of spontaneous abortions and are more likely to produce babies suffering from fetal alcohol syndrome [FAS] (Hanson, 1978; Kline, 1980; Suliket al., 1981). Drinking alcohol during pregnancy increases the risk for miscarriage and premature birth (before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy) (Strandberg-Larsen et al.,, 2008 and Sokol, 2007). Studies also suggest that drinking during pregnancy may contribute to stillbirth. In a Danish study by Strandberg-Larsen et al., (2008), he found that women who binge drink three or more times during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy had a 56 percent greater risk for stillbirth than women who did not binge drink. In another study, it was found that women who had five or more drinks a week were 70 percent more likely to have a stillborn baby than non-drinking women (Aliyu, 2008).

For more than three decades, the fetotoxic potential of ethanol has been recognized and it continues to be the most teratogen ingested during pregnancy (Randall, 2001). Alcohol is capable of crossing the placental barrier and can stunt fetal growth or weight (Streissguth, 1989). In the fetus’s immature body, alcohol is broken down more slowly than in an adult’s body. As a result, the alcohol level of the baby’s blood can be higher and remainelevatedlongerthanthelevelinthemother’sblood. This sometimes causes the baby to suffer lifelong damage. The effects of alcohol drinking during pregnancy on the fetus include mental retardation; learning, emotional and behavioral problems; and defects involving the heart, face and other organs

1.1            AIM AND OBJECTIVES

 This research was carried out to investigate the histomorphologic effects of consumption of alcohol during pregnancy on the Liver, Kidney and Uterus of adult female rats and morphometric features of their offspring. The following objectives weread dressed:

1. Determination of maternal consumption of ethanol on body weights and overt physical abnormalities ofpups.
2. Estimation of liver marker enzymes: alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aransaminase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase (AST), serum urea and creatininelevels.
3. Gross and microscopical examination of the liver, kidney and uterus of the ethanol fed femalerats.

EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL ON SOME BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF ALCOHOLICS

Sharing is caring!