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SERUM-LIPIDS IN CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS
312 few cases of mental and c.N.s. diseases we found an abnormal aminuric pattern. Thus both pink spot and other amines should be studied not only in schizophrenia but also in other pathological conditions. In fact some relations between amine metabolism and C.N.S. functions are well known. By means of modern chromatographic methods for investigating aminoaciduria many metabolic alterations associated with C.N.s. diseases have been demonstrated. We can assume, with Perry et al., that analogue alterations may be discovered by further study of amine metabolism; but we also think that some technical problems should be resolved before performing such an investigation.
a
TABLE II-FATTY ACIDS OF SERUM-CHOLESTEROL ESTERS IN 8 ALCOHOLICS IN ACUTE PERIOD AND AFTER 14 DAYS’ ABSTINENCE ESTIMATED BY P.C. AND G.L.C. (VALUES GIVEN IN % ±S.D.)
S. NORDIO
A. BERIO A. DI STEFANO.
Department of Pædiatrics, University of Genoa, Italy.
SERUM-LIPIDS IN CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS SIR,-Serum-lipids were studied in fifteen male alcoholics, aged 31-57, after a bout of drinking. All food was withdrawn overnight and venous blood was obtained next day, at the latest 32 hours after admission of the patients to hospital. Corresponding samples from sixteen healthy, 15-59-year-old persons who had also fasted overnight served as controls. Cholesterol esters were measured by three methods-i.e., chromatography on silica-gel paper (p.C.)l and thin-layer plates (T.L.C.),2 and gas-liquid chromatography (G.L.C.).3 Cholesterol esters were separated into 5 fractions by the degree of unsaturation of their fatty acids. P.c. and T.L.C. gave concordant results. G.L.C. gave the same values for saturated, monounsaturated, and diunsaturated (linoleic acid) acids as the
Abbreviations of fatty acids * Estimated in 8 alcoholics. t Estimated in 7 alcoholics.
was due to decreased intake during the actual bout, toxic effect of the alcohol, or both factors. This point is receiving attention.
We are
two
=
methods, but somewhat lower values for the highly
polyunsaturated acids (table I). The distribution of the serum-cholesterol
grateful
to
the Leo Fund for Research for
financing this
study.
C : 0 saturated; C : 1 monounsaturated; C : 2 diunsaturated; C : 3-4 = tri and tetraunsaturated; C : 5-6 = penta and hexaunsaturated. In G.L.C. the analysis refers to fatty acids of corresponding methyl esters. * Estimated in 12 controls.
other
i.
a
(ACUTE PERIOD) (VALUES GIVEN IN % ::!:s.D.).
=
in table
fatty-acids
TABLE I-FATTY ACIDS OF SERUM-CHOLESTEROL ESTERS IN 15 ALCOHOLICS AND 16 CONTROLS ESTIMATED BY T.L.C. AND G.L.C.
=
as
in the The percentage of linoleic acid was significantly diminished (p < 0-01); there was a corresponding significant increase of the monounsaturated fatty acids (p < 0-01), shown by G.L.C. to be due to an increase in palmitoleic and oleic acids. In 8 of the alcoholics the fatty-acid pattern of the cholesterol esters was re-examined in samples collected after the patients had been in hospital for 2 weeks. The pattern then showed that linoleic acid had increased and monounsaturated acids had decreased, but not to the levels in the controls (table 11). Decrease of diunsaturated and increase of monounsaturated fatty acids were also demonstrated by G.L.C. in the serum-glycerophospholipid fraction in the acute phase of the alcoholics. We do not yet know whether the decrease in serum-essentialesters
alcoholics differed strikingly from that in the controls.
1. Tichy, J. Neurology, Minneap. 1966, 16, 1219. 2. Tichy, J., Svennerholm, L., Dencker, S. J., Ailing, C. Unpublished. 3. Hallgren, B., Stenhagen, S., Svanborg, A. Svennerholm, L. J. clin. Invest. 1960, 39, 1424.
,
Department of Neurochemistry, Psychiatric Research Centre, University of Gothenburg, and Clinic II, Lillhagen Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
C. ALLING S. J. DENCKER L. SVENNERHOLM
J. TICH&Uacgr;.
BANTU SIR,-Dr. Lewis and his colleagues1 have done well to draw your attention to the misuse of the term " Bantu " to denote a race in the biological sense. They correctly point out that " Africans like to be called Africans ". I believe it is also correct to say that most Africans dislike being called " Bantu ". In discussions with many Africans, including several of my own colleagues, I have learnt that the term " Bantu ", which was originally an innocent linguistic tag, is now regarded as a foreign imposition with pejorative overtones, rather like " kaffir " and " nigger ", and in present-day South Africa is associated with the unpleasant political and social implications of racial discrimination and oppression. It is, in my opinion, sheer bad manners to foist onto a people a name which they do not want. Dr. Wassermann’s objection2 to the use of the term " African" to describe the indigenous peoples of Africa cannot be sustained. It is surely unreasonable of him to include in the term " African " the direct descendants of European settlers. Does he suggest that the direct descendants of the Dutch settlers in the East Indies should be classified as " Asiatics " ? If Dr. Wassermann must have a term, why not " Neo-Africans " to describe these relative newcomers to the African continent ? Dr. Wassermann’s contention that in Africa one is dependent on " a description based on linguistic characteristics and/or skin-colour " to signify " a defined and meaningful group of people " is no longer valid. Sufficient genetic markers are now available to enable groups of people to be characterised in to other genetic terms and in this way to examine their relation " " groups of people.34 Using this approach, races can now be defined genetically as groups of people who differ from other groups of people in the frequencies of their genes " and much of the obscurity of the social, cultural, political, and anthropometric criteria for racial classification can be avoided. In Cape Town, we have been examining our multiracial community in this way. Up to 30 genetic markers have been studied in more than 2000 representatives of the four main "
1. 2. 3. 4.
Lewis, B., Caplan, G. L., Fry, P. H. Lancet, 1967, i, 1111. Wassermann, H. P. ibid. p. 1271. Gordon, H. S. Afr. med. J. 1965, 39, 533, 543. Price, J. J. med. Genet. 1967, 4, 44.
a
TABLE II-FATTY ACIDS OF SERUM-CHOLESTEROL ESTERS IN 8 ALCOHOLICS IN ACUTE PERIOD AND AFTER 14 DAYS’ ABSTINENCE ESTIMATED BY P.C. AND G.L.C. (VALUES GIVEN IN % ±S.D.)
S. NORDIO
A. BERIO A. DI STEFANO.
Department of Pædiatrics, University of Genoa, Italy.
SERUM-LIPIDS IN CHRONIC ALCOHOLICS SIR,-Serum-lipids were studied in fifteen male alcoholics, aged 31-57, after a bout of drinking. All food was withdrawn overnight and venous blood was obtained next day, at the latest 32 hours after admission of the patients to hospital. Corresponding samples from sixteen healthy, 15-59-year-old persons who had also fasted overnight served as controls. Cholesterol esters were measured by three methods-i.e., chromatography on silica-gel paper (p.C.)l and thin-layer plates (T.L.C.),2 and gas-liquid chromatography (G.L.C.).3 Cholesterol esters were separated into 5 fractions by the degree of unsaturation of their fatty acids. P.c. and T.L.C. gave concordant results. G.L.C. gave the same values for saturated, monounsaturated, and diunsaturated (linoleic acid) acids as the
Abbreviations of fatty acids * Estimated in 8 alcoholics. t Estimated in 7 alcoholics.
was due to decreased intake during the actual bout, toxic effect of the alcohol, or both factors. This point is receiving attention.
We are
two
=
methods, but somewhat lower values for the highly
polyunsaturated acids (table I). The distribution of the serum-cholesterol
grateful
to
the Leo Fund for Research for
financing this
study.
C : 0 saturated; C : 1 monounsaturated; C : 2 diunsaturated; C : 3-4 = tri and tetraunsaturated; C : 5-6 = penta and hexaunsaturated. In G.L.C. the analysis refers to fatty acids of corresponding methyl esters. * Estimated in 12 controls.
other
i.
a
(ACUTE PERIOD) (VALUES GIVEN IN % ::!:s.D.).
=
in table
fatty-acids
TABLE I-FATTY ACIDS OF SERUM-CHOLESTEROL ESTERS IN 15 ALCOHOLICS AND 16 CONTROLS ESTIMATED BY T.L.C. AND G.L.C.
=
as
in the The percentage of linoleic acid was significantly diminished (p < 0-01); there was a corresponding significant increase of the monounsaturated fatty acids (p < 0-01), shown by G.L.C. to be due to an increase in palmitoleic and oleic acids. In 8 of the alcoholics the fatty-acid pattern of the cholesterol esters was re-examined in samples collected after the patients had been in hospital for 2 weeks. The pattern then showed that linoleic acid had increased and monounsaturated acids had decreased, but not to the levels in the controls (table 11). Decrease of diunsaturated and increase of monounsaturated fatty acids were also demonstrated by G.L.C. in the serum-glycerophospholipid fraction in the acute phase of the alcoholics. We do not yet know whether the decrease in serum-essentialesters
alcoholics differed strikingly from that in the controls.
1. Tichy, J. Neurology, Minneap. 1966, 16, 1219. 2. Tichy, J., Svennerholm, L., Dencker, S. J., Ailing, C. Unpublished. 3. Hallgren, B., Stenhagen, S., Svanborg, A. Svennerholm, L. J. clin. Invest. 1960, 39, 1424.
,
Department of Neurochemistry, Psychiatric Research Centre, University of Gothenburg, and Clinic II, Lillhagen Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
C. ALLING S. J. DENCKER L. SVENNERHOLM
J. TICH&Uacgr;.
BANTU SIR,-Dr. Lewis and his colleagues1 have done well to draw your attention to the misuse of the term " Bantu " to denote a race in the biological sense. They correctly point out that " Africans like to be called Africans ". I believe it is also correct to say that most Africans dislike being called " Bantu ". In discussions with many Africans, including several of my own colleagues, I have learnt that the term " Bantu ", which was originally an innocent linguistic tag, is now regarded as a foreign imposition with pejorative overtones, rather like " kaffir " and " nigger ", and in present-day South Africa is associated with the unpleasant political and social implications of racial discrimination and oppression. It is, in my opinion, sheer bad manners to foist onto a people a name which they do not want. Dr. Wassermann’s objection2 to the use of the term " African" to describe the indigenous peoples of Africa cannot be sustained. It is surely unreasonable of him to include in the term " African " the direct descendants of European settlers. Does he suggest that the direct descendants of the Dutch settlers in the East Indies should be classified as " Asiatics " ? If Dr. Wassermann must have a term, why not " Neo-Africans " to describe these relative newcomers to the African continent ? Dr. Wassermann’s contention that in Africa one is dependent on " a description based on linguistic characteristics and/or skin-colour " to signify " a defined and meaningful group of people " is no longer valid. Sufficient genetic markers are now available to enable groups of people to be characterised in to other genetic terms and in this way to examine their relation " " groups of people.34 Using this approach, races can now be defined genetically as groups of people who differ from other groups of people in the frequencies of their genes " and much of the obscurity of the social, cultural, political, and anthropometric criteria for racial classification can be avoided. In Cape Town, we have been examining our multiracial community in this way. Up to 30 genetic markers have been studied in more than 2000 representatives of the four main "
1. 2. 3. 4.
Lewis, B., Caplan, G. L., Fry, P. H. Lancet, 1967, i, 1111. Wassermann, H. P. ibid. p. 1271. Gordon, H. S. Afr. med. J. 1965, 39, 533, 543. Price, J. J. med. Genet. 1967, 4, 44.