Erythrocyte Catalase Activities in Alcohol Consumption, Medications and Some Diseases

Catalase (CAT) has a catalytic role in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and a peroxidic role in which the peroxide is utilized to oxidize a range of H donors. The objective of the present study was to determine whether alcohol consumption, medications, and diseases have an effect in the erythrocyte on CAT activity or not. For this purpose, the subjects were divided into three different groups with their unique criteria: 1alcoholic and nonalcoholic, 2subjects under medication and no medication, and 3subjects with leukemia, hepatitis, diabetes mellitus, and heart diseases. CAT activity was measured by the method of Aebi. The hemoglobin levels were determined by Olympus AU-600 auto analyzer. Hematological parameters such as MCH, HCT, MCHC, MCV, and RBC were studied by Coulter STKS instrument. There was no effect of medication on CAT activity 3155±1039 k/g Hb for subjects under medication and 3051±956 for other subjects (p>0.05). When CAT activities of the disease groups with leukemic, cardiac, hepatitis, and diabetic were compared to the control group, there were no significant differences between them. We found that enzyme activity was affected significantly by only alcohol consumption. CAT activities were 3059±958 k/g Hb in nonalcoholic subjects and 3644±984 k/g Hb in alcoholic subjects (p<0.03).