Selenium, alcohol and liver diseases.

A possible pathogenetic role of selenium deficiency in alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver has previously been discussed. In the present study, serum concentrations of selenium, copper and zinc were analyzed in alcoholic cirrhosis as well as in chronic active hepatitis and primary biliary cirrhosis. The serum concentrations of selenium were consistently decreased in patients suffering from alcoholic cirrhosis. Zinc values were also low in these patients. Studies of a possible therapeutic effect of zinc and selenium supplementation are of interest. Other authors have reported increased hepatic lipoperoxidation and decreased hepatocellular glutathione levels in animals consuming ethanol. It is hypothesized that the low levels of Se and Zn, in combination with the reported glutathione depletion, makes the hepatocytes more vulnerable toward the toxicity of ethanol.