Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) participate in gluconeogenesis by catalysing the transfer of amino groups from aspartic acid or alanine to ketoglutaric acid to produce oxaloacetic acid and pyruvic acid respectively. Both aminotransferases are sensitive indicators of liver-cell injury and both are released into the blood in increasing amounts when the liver cell membrane is damaged. AST present in cytosol and mitochondria isoenzymes of many organs, is not specific for the liver. ALT is more specific to the liver cytosol. Although, ALT is more specific to the liver injury, its activity may be normal even in severe alcoholic intoxication or liver disease. In addiction, the established normal range of ALT and AST, varies widely among laboratories. The evaluation of aminotransferase activities in serum is improved by the ratio of AST: ALT (De Ritis ratio). A ratio of AST to ALT greater than 2 is characteristic to alcoholic hepatitis, however, in many forms of acute and chronic liver injury or steatosis, the ratio is less than or equal to 1. There are no studies on the effect of single occasion drinking of high dose of ethanol, on AST/ALT ratio in serum.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine the Ritis ratio in blood serum during 2-5 day period, after single dose ethanol intoxication.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serum of eight healthy (22-31 years old) binge drinkers (>5 standard drinks in a row, at one sitting) was collected before and 2 and 5 days after ingestion of ethanol (2.0 ± 0.38 g/kg; mean ± SD). The activity of AST and ALT (IU/l) were determined by using routine methods (with bioMerieux reagents, France). The results were processed with statistical program Statistica 6 (Statsoft). P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The De Ritis ratio decreased significantly during 2-5 day period after ethanol consumption (p<0.05). Because high De Ritis ratio is specific for severe alcohol liver injury and increases as damage progresses, the decrease of AST/ALT ratio seems to be connected with the recovery period, after ethanol intoxication.

• Legal notice:
  

  Copyright (c) Pielaszek Research, all rights reserved.
  The above materials, including auxiliary resources, are subject to Publisher's copyright and the Author(s) intellectual rights. Without limiting Author(s) rights under respective Copyright Transfer Agreement, no part of the above documents may be reproduced without the express written permission of Pielaszek Research, the Publisher. Express permission from the Author(s) is required to use the above materials for academic purposes, such as lectures or scientific presentations.
  In every case, proper references including Author(s) name(s) and URL of this webpage: https://science24.com/paper/10748 must be provided.

1. Activity of α-fucosidase in serum and urine of smoking patients with colon adenocarcinoma.
2. The erythrocyte glycophorin glycans of persons after a long lasting drinking, before and after treatment