Scanning electron microscopy of rat erythrocytes during chronic alcoholic intoxication combined with protein and vitamin deficit

Electron microscopy revealed morphological changes in erythrocytes from rats with chronic alcoholic intoxication kept on protein- and vitamin B-deficient rations. All animals had anisopoikilocytosis (up to 50%). Most pronounced changes in erythrocyte population attesting to accelerated erythrocyte aging (stomato- and microcytosis, discocyte swelling, and spontaneous hemolysis) were found in alcohol-fed rats kept on deficient ration.

[The thiamine index as an integral indicator of the body allowance of vitamin B1]

One of the most wide-spread methods of evaluation of thiamine content in the body is determination of the activity of the thiamine pyrophosphate-dependent enzyme--transketolase--and so-called TPP-effect (the quantitative measure of unsaturation of transketolase with coenzyme). Absence of distinct correlation between the parameters in a number of cases calls for a search for the integral coefficient less dependent on the original dynamics of the given markers. Thus, we propose to use the thiamine index calculated by means of division of transketolase activity index expressed in absolute units by TPP-effect index expressed in relative units. The examples of thiamine index calculation and peculiarities of its interpretation with consideration of dynamic state of chronic alcoholics in abstinence and of patients with acute alcohol psychoses are shown.

[ Indicators of thiamine content and energy homeostasis in alcoholic psychosis]

In dynamics of acute alcoholic psychoses--delirium and hallucinosis-- considerable deficit of thiamine in the organisms of ill people that can not be compensated while desintoxicative treatment and signs of energy homeostasis changes and of deterioration of tissues reserves depending on the type of psychoses were determined. Pathogenic peculiarities of the revealed disorders were analysed, possible compensative mechanisms connected in particular with the rise of pyruvate utilization speed and activation of glyconeogenesis while leaving the psychotic state were considered.