Homeostasis of taurine and glutamate plasma levels after acute and chronicethanol administration in man

Taurine homeostasis is perturbed after acute and chronic ethanol administra tion. An oral dose of ethanol, (0.8 g / kg) significantly decreased the pla sma taurine content 90 minutes after its administration, while glutamic aci d content increased significantly at 30 minutes. Chronic alcohol abusers, s howed significant increases in plasma taurine content 7 days after alcohol withdrawal. In 50% of these patients the taurine levels exceeding the refer ence range and correlated with the elevated levels of plasma glutamic acid. In addition in these patients there was also a significant decrease in anx iety score, CIWA Ar, (p<0.01). Although the correlation between taurine and glutamate has been described in other diseases this is the first time that such changes have been reported after acute or chronic ethanol administrat ion.