Influence of ethanol on oxidative stress in the liver

: Ethanol ingestion causes an increase in free radical generation in the liver mainly by induction of microsomal cytochrome P-450, conversion of xanthine dehydrogenase into xanthine oxidase in cytosol and increased one electron oxygen reduction in mitochondria. As a result, the decrease in antioxidant status characterized by changes in activity of antioxidant enzymes and by decrease in nonenzymatic antioxidant level with different intensification depended on acute or chronic alcohol ingestion. The consequence of the above changes is oxidative stress in the liver. It intensifies free radical action on cell compartments which are characterized by oxidative modification of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. These cytotoxic processes may finally lead to alcoholic liver injury in the end.