Selenium, alcohol and liver diseases
Aaseth, J.; Smith-Kielland, A.; Thomassen, Y.
Annals of Clinical Research 18(1): 43-47
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-4762 PMID: 3717872 Document Number: 278398
Serum concentrations of selenium in 20 patients with alcoholic cirrhosis were about 46% less than control values; serum zinc values were also low in those patients, 9.5 +or- 3.8 compared with 14.8 +or- 2.0 mu mol/litre in healthy controls. Increased hepatic lipoperoxidation and decreased hepatocellular glutathione values in animals consuming ethanol have been reported and it is hypothesized that the low concentrations of Se and Zn in combination with the reported glutathione depletion make the hepatocytes more susceptible to the toxicity of ethanol.