Abstract
Delta-aminolevulinic acid synthetase (ALA-S) and δ-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D) activities in bone marrow and peripheral blood and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin IX (FEP), zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZP) levels in peripheral erythrocytes in liver diseases were investigated in this report. ALA-S activities in bone marrow erythroids were increased in chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis whereas no significant changes could be seen for ALA-D activities in these patients. On the other hand, both FEP and ZP levels in peripheral erythrocytes were significantly higher in liver diseases including chronic hepatitis (active and inactive), liver cirrhosis and liver cancer when compared with normal controls. Also, there was no statistically significant increase of δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALA-U) and coproporphyrin (CP-U) levels in urine in these patients.
