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Fatty liver

Fatty liver or steatosis hepatis is a reversible condition seen in chronic alcoholism and many other conditions, where large vacuoles of lipid accumulate in hepatocytes (the cells of the liver). Accumulation of fat in liver cells will cause the liver to enlarge. The lipid within the vacuoles is a particular type of lipid known as triglyceride. Triglyceride molecules consist of a glycerol backbone with three fatty acid molecules joined on. more...

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Causes

Many chemicals, such as alcohol and drugs can cause fatty liver.

Fatty liver can occur in diabetes mellitus and in pregnancy. It can also be seen in starvation and obesity. In addition, it is also a minor symptom of hepatitis

Pathology

Fatty change represents the intracytoplasmic accumulation of triglyceride (neutral fats). At the beginning, the hepatocytes present small fat vacuoles (liposomes) around the nucleus - microvesicular fatty change. In the late stages, the size of the vacuoles increases pushing the nucleus to the periphery of the cell - macrovesicular fatty change. These vesicles are well delineated and optically "empty" because fats solves during tissue processing. Large vacuoles may coalesce, producing fatty cysts - which are irrevesible lesions. 1

Treatment and prevention

The treatment of fatty liver depends on what is causing it, and generally, treating the underlying cause will remove the problem.

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Plasma lipid parameters in patients with alcoholic fatty liver after treatment with essential phospholipids
From Alternative Medicine Review, 9/1/04 by L. Turecky

Turecky L, Kupcova V, Szantova M. Uhlikova E. Bratisl Lek Listy 2003:104:227-231.

BACKGROUND: Fatty liver is the earliest and most common response to alcohol. The accumulation of lipid particles in hepatocytes alters the ultrastructure of cellular membranes. The purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of the administration of essential phospholipids on plasma lipid parameters in patients with alcoholic fatty liver. METHODS: Our open clinical trial was performed in patients suffering from alcoholic fatty liver. The investigated group consisted of 29 patients. Two capsules of Essentiale time were administered 3 times daily for 3 months. Individual biochemical parameters were examined each month. Values of total cholesterol, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol, triacylglycerols, apoprotein A and B were determined. RESULTS: The therapy with essential phospholipids had positive effects on the parameters of hepatocyte integrity. The levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerols and apoprotein B were significantly higher in patients with fatty liver than in the controls. The concentration of HDL-cholesterol was also higher before the therapy than in the control group. There was no difference in levels of apoprotein A and LDL-cholesterol between the patients and the controls. There was no significant therapeutic effect on plasma lipid parameters in the group of patients with fatty liver. CONCLUSIONS: The effects of treatment of alcoholic fatty liver with essential phospholipids were studied. The therapy had positive effects on the parameters of hepatocyte integrity. There was no significant therapeutic effect of the therapy on plasma lipid parameters.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Thorne Research Inc.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group

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