Liver function tests

CLINICAL PHARMACY LIVER FUNCTION TESTS
PHARM.D 1
LIVER FUNCTION TESTS
T. SOUJANYA
16DC1T0021

PHARM.D 2
LIVER FUNCTION TESTS
Liver: Liver is the largest gland of the body weighing 1.2-1.5 kg in an
adult human. It is situated in the abdominal cavity, just below the
diaphragm and has 2 lobes. The hepatic lobules are the structural and
functional units of liver containing hepatocytes, arranged in the form
of cords. Liver secretes bile which is alkaline, yellowish green fluid. It
has no enzymes but help in emulsification of fats due to the presence
of bile salts.
Major functions of liver:
1. Metabolic functions: Liver actively participates in carbohydrate,
lipid, protein, mineral and vitamin metabolisms.
2. Excretory functions: Bile pigments, bile salts and cholesterol
are excreted in the bile into intestine.
3. Protective functions and detoxification: Kupffer cells of liver
perform phagocytosis to eliminate foreign compounds. Ammonia
is detoxified to urea. Liver is responsible for metabolism of
xenobiotic (detoxification).
4. Haematological functions: Liver participates in the formation of
blood (particularly in the embryo), synthesis of plasma proteins
(including blood clotting factors) & destruction of erythrocytes.
5. Storage functions: Glycogen, vitamins A, D & B12 and trace
elements are stored in liver.
Tests to assess liver function:
The liver function tests (LFTs) are the biochemical investigation to
assess the capacity of the liver to carry out any of the functions it
performs. LFT will help to detect the abnormalities and the extent of
liver damage. Two important facts should borne in mind while carrying
out LFT:
i) Liver is a large size factory of safety. Therefore, it can perform
many of it's functions almost normally, despite of the damage.
ii) Selection of the right test is important in LFT. This is due to
the fact that since liver participates in several functions, the

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function that is measured in LFT may not be the one that is
adversely affected.
Classification of liver function tests:
They are classified based on the major functions of liver.
i) Tests based on excretory function: Measurement of bile
pigments, bile salts, bromosulphthalein test.
ii) Tests based on serum enzymes: Determination of transaminases
(ALT, AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma glutamyl
transpeptidase, 5’
-nucleotidase and others.
iii) Tests based on synthetic function: Serum proteins (albumin,
globulins), prothrombin time.
iv) Tests based on metabolic capacity: Galactose tolerance test,
antipyrine clearance.
v) Tests based on detoxification: Hippuric acid synthesis.
1. Tests based on excretory function:
a) Bilirubin: Bilirubin is a bile pigment and is the excretory end
product of heme degradation. It is conjugated in the liver to form
bilirubin diglucuronide and excreted in bile.
Metabolism of bilirubin

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Normal range: The normal concentration of serum bilirubin is in the
range of 0.2-1.0mg/dl. Of this, the conjugated bilirubin (diglucuronide
75%; monoglucuronide 25%) is about 0.2-0.4mg/dl, while the
unconjugated bilirubin is 0.2-0.6mg/dl.
Van den Bergh reaction: This is a specific reaction to identify the
increase in serum bilirubin. Normal serum gives a negative Van den
Bergh reaction.
Mechanism of the reaction: Van den Bergh reagent is a mixture of
equal volumes of sulfanilic acid (in dilute Hcl) & sodium nitrite. The
principle of the reaction is that diazotised sulfanilic acid reacts with
bilirubin to form a purple coloured azobilirubin.
Direct and indirect reaction: Bilirubin as such is insoluble in water
while the conjugated bilirubin is soluble. Van den Bergh reagent reacts
with conjugated bilirubin and gives a purple colour immediately
(normally within 30 seconds). This is referred to as “direct positive Van
den Bergh reaction”.
Addition of methanol (or alcohol) dissolves the unconjugated
bilirubin which then gives the Van den Bergh reaction (normally within
30 minutes) positive and this is referred to as “indirect positive”. If the
serum contains both conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin in high
concentration, the purple colour is produced immediately (direct
positive) which is further intensified by the addition of alcohol (indirect
positive). This type of reaction is known as biphasic.
Uses: This reaction is highly useful in understanding the nature of
jaundice. This is due to the fact that the type of jaundice is characterised
by increased serum concentration of unconjugated bilirubin
(haemolytic), conjugated bilirubin (obstructive) or both of them
(hepatic). Therefore, the response of Van den Bergh reaction can
differentiate the jaundice as follows.
• Indirect positive - Haemolytic jaundice
• Direct positive - Obstructive jaundice
• Biphasic - Hepatic jaundice

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The conjugated bilirubin, being water soluble, is excreted in urine.
This is in contrast to unconjugated bilirubin which is not excreted.
Bilirubin in urine can be detected by “Fouchet's test” or “Gmelin's test”.
b) Bromosulphthalein test: Bromosulphthalein is a dye used to assess
the excretory function of liver. It is a non-toxic compound and
exclusively excreted by the liver (through bile). BSP is administered
intravenously (5mg/kg body weight) and it's serum concentration is
measured at 45 minutes and at 2 hours. In normal individuals, less than
5% of the dye is retained at the end of 45 minutes. Any impairment in
liver function causes an increased retention of the dye. This test is quite
sensitive to assess liver abnormality with particular reference to
excretory function.
2. Tests based on serum enzymes:
Liver cells contain several enzymes which may be released into the
circulation in liver damage. Measurement of selected enzymes in serum
is often used to assess the liver function. It must be noted that there is
no single enzyme that is absolutely specific to liver alone. Despite this
fact, serum enzymes provide valuable information for LFT. Some of
these enzymes are:
a) Transaminases (SGOT/AST & SGPT/ALT)
b) Alkaline phosphatase (ALP)
c) Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT)
d) 5’
-nucleotidase
e) Others
a) Transaminases: The activities of two enzymes namely- serum
glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT; recently called as alanine
transaminase-ALT) and serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase
(SGOT; recently known as aspartate transaminase-AST) are widely
used to assess the liver function. ALT is a cytoplasmic enzyme while
AST is found in both cytoplasm and mitochondria. The activity of these
enzymes is low in normal serum (ALT 5-40IU/L; AST 5-45IU/L).
Serum ALT and AST are increased in liver damage. However, ALT is
more sensitive and reliable for the assessment of LFT.

PHARM.D 6
Estimation of serum transaminases cannot identify the causes of
hepatic damage. Further, they don't have much prognostic value.
b) Alkaline phosphatase (ALP): It is mainly derived from bone and
liver (the cells lining the bile canaliculi). A rise in serum ALP (normal
3-13 KA units/dl), usually associated with elevated serum bilirubin is
an indicator of biliary obstruction (obstructive/post hepatic jaundice).
ALP is also elevated in cirrhosis of liver and hepatic tumours.
Liver is not the sole source of alkaline phosphatase. Therefore, it's
measurement has to be carefully viewed before arriving at any
conclusion. The liver and bone isoenzymes of ALP can be separated by
electrophoresis.
c) Gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT): This is a microsomal
enzyme widely distributed in body tissues, including liver.
Measurement of GGT activity provides a sensitive index to assess liver
abnormality. The activity of this enzyme almost parallels that of
transaminases in hepatic damage. Serum GGT is highly elevated
(normal 5-40IU/L) in biliary obstruction and alcoholism. Further,
several drugs (e.g. phenytoin) induce and increase this enzyme in
circulation).
d) 5’
-nucleotidase: The serum activity of 5’
-nucleotidase (normal 2-
15U/L) is elevated in hepatobiliary decrease and this parallels ALP.
The advantage with 5’
-nucleotidase is that it is not altered in bone
disease.
e) Others: Serum isocitrate dehydrogenase and isoenzymes of lactate
dehydrogenase (LDH4 and LDH5) are also useful in LFT.
Interpretation of result:
Very often, a combination of serum enzyme estimations (instead of
a single one) is used for a better understanding of liver functions. For
instance, a large increase in transaminases (particularly ALT) relative
to a small increase in alkaline phosphatase indicates hepatocellular
damage. On the other hand, a small increase in transaminases and a
large increase in alkaline phosphatase shows biliary obstruction.

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3. Tests based on synthetic function:
a) Serum proteins: Albumin is solely synthesized by the liver. It has
a half-life of about 20-25 days, therefore it is a good marker to assess
chronic (and not acute) liver damage. Low serum albumin is commonly
observed in patients with severe liver damage. It must be noted that the
serum albumin concentration is also decreased due to other factors such
as malnutrition.
Functional impairment of liver is frequently associated with
increased synthesis of globulins. Cirrhosis of the liver causes a reversal
of albumin/globulin ratio (A/G ratio). Serum electrophoresis of
proteins reveals increased albumin and decreased gamma globulin
concentration. This may not have much diagnostic importance since
several diseases are associated with altered electrophoretic pattern of
serum proteins.
b) Prothrombin time: The liver synthesizes all the factors concerned
with blood clotting. A decrease in concentration of plasma clotting
factors is found in the impairment of liver function. This can be
assessed in the laboratory by measuring prothrombin time which is
prolonged in patients with liver damage, compared to normal. The half-
lives of clotting factors are relatively short (5-72 hrs.), therefore,
changes in prothrombin time occur quickly. Hence, this test is useful to
assess acute as well as chronic liver damages; besides it's help in the
prognosis.
Vitamin K is required for the synthesis of blood clotting factors II,
VII, IX and X. Therefore, vitamin K deficiency can also cause
prolonged prothrombin time which must be ruled out, before drawing
conclusions on the liver functions. This is done by measuring
prothrombin time before and after administration of vitamin K.
4. Tests based on metabolic capacity:
Galactose tolerance test: Galactose is a monosaccharide, almost
exclusively metabolized by the liver. The liver function can be assessed

PHARM.D 8
by measuring the utilisation of galactose. This is referred to as galactose
tolerance test.
Procedure: The subject is given intravenous administration of
galactose (about 300mg/kg body weight). Blood is drawn at 10 minute
intervals for the next 2 hours and galactose estimated. In the normal
individuals, the half-life of galactose is about 10-15 minutes. This is
markedly elevated in hepatocellular damage (infective hepatitis,
cirrhosis).
5. Tests based on detoxification:
Hippuric acid synthesis: The liver is the major site for the metabolism
of xenobiotics (detoxification). Measurement of hippuric acid synthesis
is an ideal test for assessing the detoxification function of liver.
Hippuric acid is produced in the liver when benzoic acid combines with
glycine.
Procedure: About 6g of sodium benzoate (dissolved in about 250ml
water), is orally given to the subject, after a light breakfast (usually 2hrs
later) and after emptying the bladder. Urine collections are made for
the next 4 hours and the amount of hippuric acid excreted is estimated.
Theoretically, 6g of sodium benzoate should yield 7.5g of hippuric
acid. In the healthy persons, about 60% of sodium benzoate (equivalent
to 4.5g hippuric acid) is excreted in urine. A reduction in hippuric acid
excretion (particularly <3g) indicates hepatic damage.
Conclusion:
The choice of biochemical tests to measure liver functions mostly
depends on the purpose of the investigation. The clinical history of the
subject is often a guiding factor in this regard. A single test in isolation
may have a little diagnostic value.
Frequently, a combination of laboratory investigations are
employed in LFT. These include serum bilirubin (conjugated and
unconjugated), ALT, AST, ALP, GGT and proteins (albumin,
globulins).

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Reference/ Bibliography:
1. A text book of Biochemistry by U. Satyanarayana; U.
Chakrapani: page no. 453-458.
2. A text book of Clinical pharmacy practice; Essential concepts and
skills by Dr. G.Parthasarathi.
3. www.slideshare.net

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