The Histological Effect of Alcohol on the Liver and kidney of Animals
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Date
2014-06
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Addis Abeba University
Abstract
Alcohol consumption represents the third largest risk factor for disease burden in most countries of the
world. Alcohol can damage nearly every organ and system in the body such as liver and kidney. Alcohol
is eliminated from the body by various metabolic mechanisms. The primary enzymes involved in these
metabolic mechanisms are aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), cytochrome
P450 (CYP2E1), and catalase. Variations in the genes for these enzymes have been found to influence
alcohol consumption, alcohol-related tissue damage, and alcohol dependence. The consequences of
alcohol metabolism include oxygen deficits (i.e., hypoxia) in the liver; interaction between alcohol
metabolism by products and other cell components, resulting in the formation of harmful compounds (i.e.,
adducts); formation of highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules (i.e., reactive oxygen species) that can
damage other cell components; tissue damage; fetal damage; cancer; and medication interactions. The
effects of alcohol on various tissues depend on its concentration in the blood i.e. blood alcohol
concentration over time. Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is determined by how quickly alcohol is
absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted. BAC is influenced by the rate of alcohol drinking, the
presence of food in the stomach, and the type of alcoholic beverage, variations in the principal alcohol-
metabolizing enzymes namely alcohol dehydrogenase and aldehyde dehydrogenase. Alcohol readily
diffuses across membranes and distributes through all cells and tissues, and at these concentrations, it can
acutely affect cell function by interacting with certain proteins and cell membranes. Alcohol metabolism
also results in the generation of acetaldehyde that may contribute to tissue damage, the formation of
damaging molecules known as ROS, and a change in the redox state of liver cells. Understanding the
balance of alcohol’s removal and the accumulation of potentially damaging metabolic byproducts, as well
as how alcohol metabolism affects other metabolic pathways, is essential for appreciating both the short-
term and long-term effects of the body’s response to alcohol intake (Zakhari, 2006).
Key word: Alcohol, Liver, Kidney, Necrosis and Degenerative change
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Keywords
Alcohol; Liver; Kidney; Necrosis and Degenerative Change