[Alcohol sales and pulmonary tuberculosis mortality in the Republic of Belarus in 1981 to 2001].

The fact that there is an association of alcohol abuse with pulmonary tuberculosis is well documented. The effect of alcohol sales per capita on tuberculosis mortality rates is considerably less known. The aim of the study was to evaluate the beverage-specific effect of alcohol on pulmonary tuberculosis mortality rates.

[Hepatoprotective effects of amino acids with branched hydrocarbon chains and taurine in experimental subchronic alcohol intoxication and ethanol withdrawal].

Forced alcoholization of rats according to Majchrowicz led to the development of fatty liver. The subsequent ethanol withdrawal was accompanied by amino acid imbalance in the pool of free sulfur-containing and glycogenic amino acids in liver and blood plasma. Similar changes were observed after prolonged alcohol intoxication.

[Alcohol and malignant neoplasm].

Trends observed in Belarus during 1970-1999 and related with mortality of different-type cancer, e.g. breast cancer in women, cancer of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus and stomach, were analyzed versus trends related with the per-capita consumption of various beverages by using the time-series analysis.

[Effect of the composition of branched chain amino acids, taurine, and tryptophan on the amino acid metabolism in experimental models of alcoholism].

Ethanol withdrawal after forced alcoholization of rats according to Majchrowicz led to the development of amino acid imbalance in the pool of free amino acids in the liver (increasing levels of alanine, aspartate, glutamate, glutamine and histidine, decreasing levels of glycine, lysine, threonine and taurine) and blood plasma (increasing levels of tyrosine and alanine, decreasing levels of most glycogen aminoacids, branched-chain aminoacids and Lys). Less profound changes were observed after prolonged alcohol intoxication (decreasing levels of alanine, ornitine, citrulline and increasing level of Glu in liver, increasing levels of sulfur-containing compounds, Asp and Lys in blood plasma). Amino acid mixture which contained branched-chain amino acids, taurine and tryptophan administered intragastrically was found to correct levels of sulfur-containing amino acids, threonine, lysine and isoleucine after ethanol withdrawal and to eliminate disorders in urea cycle, exchange of threonine, glycine and phenylalanine after prolonged alcohol intoxication.

[The use of L-tryptophan for correction of disbalance of central neurotransmitters in morphine withdrawal syndrome].

The influence of tryptophan on the content of central neurotransmitters (free amino acids and biogenous amines) in various structures of the rat brain under the conditions of morphine withdrawal has been studied. It is established that the chronic morphine intoxication followed by withdrawal lead to activation of the dopaminergic system and to an increase in the content of exciting amino acids in the rat brain. The morphine withdrawal syndrome is accompanied by inhibition of the serotoninergic activity in all rat brain structures studied.

[Alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis in Belarus in 1970-1999].

The statistics on incidence of alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis, number of patients admitted to hospitals for alcoholism and alcoholic psychosis as well as a level of alcoholic beverage consumption per capita in Belarus from 1970 to 1999 were analysed. Using correlation, factor and cluster analyses, a strong positive correlation was found between the incidence of alcoholic psychoses and level of vodka consumption per capita. The incidence of alcoholism correlates positively with a total level of alcohol consumption.