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Pharmacopsychiatry 2005; 38(2): 95-96
DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-837809
Letter
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Increased Serum Nitrite/Nitrate (NOx) and Malondialdehyde (MDA) Levels During Alcohol Withdrawal in Alcoholic Patients

N. Yuksel1 , I. T. Uzbay2 , H. Karakiliç1 , O. E. Aki1 , Ç. Etik1 , D. Erbaş3
  • 1Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Besevler, Ankara, Turkey
  • 2Department of Medical Pharmacology, Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey
  • 3Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Besevler, Ankara, Turkey
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 5.1.2004 Revised: 16.3.2004

Accepted: 15.6.2004

Publication Date:
02 March 2005 (online)

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Serum nitrite/nitrate (NOx) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels of 40 male alcoholic patients and 14 healthy male controls were investigated. Severity of alcohol withdrawal in alcoholic patients was evaluated by using the Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA-Ar) scale just before taking the blood samples. NOx levels in serum samples were determined based on the reduction of nitrate to nitrite by vanadium chloride. MDA levels were also determined spectrophotometrically at 540 nm. The total CIWA-Ar score of alcohol-withdrawn patients was found to be 17.7. NOx and MDA levels were significantly increased in alcoholics during alcohol withdrawal as compared to control subjects. In conclusion, we observed increased serum NOx levels and lipid peroxidation during alcohol withdrawal in alcoholic patients.

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I. Tayfun Uzbay, Ph. D.

Gülhane Military Medical Academy

Faculty of Medicine

Department of Medical Pharmacology

Psychopharmacology Research Unit

Etlik 06018

Ankara

Turkey

Phone: +90 312 304 4764

Fax: +90 312 304 2010

Email: tuzbay@gata.edu.tr