Pathophysiological Significance of an Oral Zinc Tolerance Test in Patients with Chronic Hepatic Diseases

The significances of the biochemical and nutritional roles of metals, particularly trace metals, is widely recognized because they are found in vivo as constituent components of many metalloproteins and metalloenzymes. In addition, a close correlation between trace metal metabolism and the pathology of hepatic diseases has been recognized based on the fact that such metalloproteins and metalloenzymes are synthesized and react mainly in the liver and trace metals such as iron, copper, zinc, magnesium and manganese act as cofactors against hepatic fibrosis in chronic hepatic diseases, particularly the biosynthesis of collagen.