[Determination of the superoxide dismutase activity in puncture biopsy specimens of the liver in chronic liver diseases].

Analysis of liver biopsy specimens from patients with chronic active hepatitis has shown reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities. More profound changes were revealed in the patients with fibrosis, cirrhosis, and primary biliary cirrhosis. Suppressed activities of antioxidative enzymes and dissociation of their systemic interaction were found to be related to the pathologic process severity. Measurement of SOD activity in a biopsy specimen appears to be clinically valuable and may be used for the assessment of liver antioxidative defense in patients with liver conditions.