Letter	Pharmacopsychiatry 2005; 38: 95-96 DOI: 10.1055/s-2005-837809
© 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
1 Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Besevler, Ankara, Turkey 2 Department of Medical Pharmacology, Psychopharmacology Research Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Gülhane Military Medical Academy, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey 3 Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Gazi University, Besevler, Ankara, Turkey

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 The total CIWA-Ar score of alcohol-withdrawn patients was found to be 17.7.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.