Three indices of drug metabolism, antipyrine clearance in vivo, and aminopyrine N-demethylase and bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase activity in liver biopsies, were studied in fifteen patients with amoebic liver abscess (with and without jaundice). The mean (+/- S.E.) antipyrine half-life in patients with jaundice was 21.64 (+/- 1.52) h and in patients without jaundice was 19.36 (+/- 0.93) h. It was significantly prolonged in both groups of patients as compared to controls (11.63 +/- 0.86 h). It showed a good correlation with serum albumin (p less than 0.01), prothrombin time index (p less than 0.01), and aminopyrine N-demethylase (p less than 0.05). Aminopyrine N-demethylase was found to be decreased in patients without jaundice but no significant change could be observed in patients with jaundice. Bilirubin UDP-glucuronyl transferase showed no significant change in either of the groups.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Impairment of hepatic drug metabolism in patients with acute viral hepatitis.

Hepatic drug metabolism in patients with acute viral hepatitis was investigated under different conditions: pregnancy, postpartum, non-pregnancy, and among males. Liver function tests were altered in all of these conditions. The relationship between in vivo and in vitro drug metabolism was studied in twenty-two patients using diagnostic liver needle biopsies by comparing the drug metabolising enzymes (aminopyrine-N-demethylase and bilirubin-UDP-glucuronyl transferase) in these biopsies with the elimination kinetics of antipyrine. Drug clearance tests were repeated in the patients who had recovered. All patients gave altered liver function tests results. Antipyrine half-life was significantly higher in females as compared to males. Among females, it was maximum in the pregnant group. Activities of drug metabolising enzymes were found to be significantly lower in liver biopsy material. The half-life of antipyrine showed a significant correlation with drug metabolising enzymes. After recovery patients showed a normal antipyrine half-life.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied