Carnitine: function, metabolism and value in hepatic failure during chronic alcohol intoxication
Journal Title: Advances in Hygiene and Experimental Medicine - Year 2011, Vol 65, Issue 0
Abstract
Alcoholism is one of the most frequent dependences among people, leading to damage of the liver and death of the person. Chronic alcohol consumption decreases fatty acid oxidation by interfering with carnitine metabolism and citric acid cycle activity. Block in activity of the citric acid cycle caused by alcohol and its metabolites is partially compensated by increased ketone body production, which results in ketosis. Chronic administration of alcohol induces liver injury, inflammation, cirrhosis, focal necrosis and steatosis. L-carnitine (L-3-hydroxy-4-N, N, N-trimethylaminebutyric acid) is an essential factor in fatty acid metabolism, which plays a major role in transport of activated long-chain fatty acids to sites of β-oxidation in mitochondria. Carnitine also stabilizes cell membranes by removing long-chain acyl-CoA and excess of the acyl group from the body. L-carnitine can be a useful and safe drug in the liver pathology induced by chronic ethanol exposure.
Authors and Affiliations
Alina Kępka, Sławomir Szajda, Napoleon Waszkiewicz, Paweł Płudowski, Sylwia Chojnowska, Michał Rudy, Agata Szulc, Jerzy Ładny, Krzysztof Zwierz
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP66550
- DOI -
- Views 145
- Downloads 0
The participation of outer membrane proteins in the bacterial sensitivity to nanosilver
The presented study is to analyze the participation of outer membrane proteins of Gram- negative bacteria in sensitivity to silver nanomaterials. The mechanism of interaction of silver with the bacterial cell is best des...
Activity of urine arylsulfatase A in brain-dead graft donors is a predictor of early and late graft function
Objective: Human lysosomal arylsulfatase A (ASA) is a member of the sulfatase family. Arylsulfatase A is required to degrade sulfatides. Sulfatides occur in the myelin sheets of the central and peripheral nervous system....
Mechanisms of action of the anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody bevacizumab on chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells
Introduction: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) remains incurable; therefore searching for new therapeutic strategies in this disease is necessary. An important mechanism of tumor development is neoangiogenesis. A poten...
[u][/u]Biological activity and stability in vitro of polyphenolic extracts as potential dietary supplements
Introduction: In times of worsening civilization diseases the interest in natural healing substances is on the increase. To reduce unwanted side effects of many synthetic drugs, it is reasonable to introduce to the daily...
Leprosy – one of the many forgotten tropical diseases
Leprosy or Hansen disease is caused by an infection of Mycobacterium leprae. The large number of undetected cases (2000-2012 years 4 mln people) remains a threat to the elimination of leprosy. Leprosy is an unheard in Po...