Influence on a two-week disulfiram treatment on GGT and ALP activities in alcoholics

Abstract

Determination of gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities are two of the most recently used biochemical parameters in diagnosis of alcoholism and heavy drinking. We examined the effect of a two-week disulfiram (DSF) treatment on GGT and ALP activities in alcoholic volunteers. The trial lasted 21 days and it was conducted on ten moderate hospitalized alcoholics. During the first two experimental weeks the alcoholics received repeated oral doses of 500 mg DSF/day, and the last week was DSF free. Activities of both enzymes significantly decreased during the two-week DSF treatment. The calculated GGT/ALP ratio continually increased during the therapy, while it was enormously increased one-week after DSF therapy.