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Plasma Norharman (β‐Carboline) Levels are Elevated in Chronic Alcoholics
Author(s) -
Rommelspacher Hans,
Schmidt Lutz G.,
May Torsten
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1991.tb00559.x
Subject(s) - detoxication , chemistry , chronic alcoholic , high performance liquid chromatography , ethanol , chronic alcoholism , chromatography , medicine , endocrinology , biochemistry , enzyme
Based on the hypothesis that condensation products of neurotransmitters with aldehydes are involved in the pathogenesis of alcoholism, aromatic β‐carbolines (norharman and harman) were measured in the blood plasma of alcoholics and nonalcoholics. The identity of the extracted compounds was confirmed by various elution conditions of the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), newly developed radioreceptor assays, and the mass spectrum of norharman. The levels of norharman and harman in nonalcoholics were unchanged after a load with ethanol (1 g/kg body weight). The norharman levels of the alcoholics were significantly higher than that of the nonalcoholic controls (99.5 ± 26.6 pg/ml vs. 26.9 ± 10.7 pg/ ml; p < 0.001) and did not change significantly during a 3‐week detoxication period. In the subgroup of alcoholics with delirium or hallucinosis, a slight increase of norharman during detoxication could be detected while in alcoholics with vegetative withdrawal symptoms norharman levels dropped slightly over time (p = 0.07). No difference was found with respect to harman between nonalcoholics and alcoholics. These results suggest disturbed regulatory processes in the formation and/or metabolism of norharman in alcoholics. Further investigations are needed to reveal a possible marker function of norharman in alcoholic patients.