Review on Histological and Functional Effect of Alcohol on Liver and Kidney

Abstract

Alcohol consumption represents the third largest risk factor for disease burden in most countries of the world. The purpose of this review is to give a comprehensive report of the existing data on the potential adverse effects of alcohol on liver and kidney toxicity. We used 82 different published materials for the compilation of this review article. The Google search engine was used for accessing published materials from databases like google scholar, Pubmed and Hinari. Literature surveys and clinical diagnostic studies revealed that 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 byproducts 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.

Keywords: Alcohol, liver, kidney, necrosis and degenerative changes

Cite this Article

Nigus Abrha Tafere, Adhanom Gebreslassie Berhe. Review on Histological and Functional Effect of Alcohol on Liver and Kidney. Research & Reviews: Journal of Medical Science and Technology. 2018; 7(2): 49–62p.