ACTA FAC. MED. NAISS. 2006; 23 (1): 9-12

   Original article

Goran Ilic, Radovan Karadzic, Lidija Kostic-Banovic, Jovan Stojanovic

Institute of Forensic Medicine in Nis

     SUMMARY

    Direct action of i.v. administered heroin causes activation of opioid brain receptors, which results in an increase of hepatic glycogen lysis and reduction of hepatocyte glycogen content. However, that reduction is more significant due to associated morphologic findings, especially in the cases with diffuse fatty changes, and in the cases with chronic active hepatitis and cirrhosis, glycogen depletion was proportional to the degree of degenerative-necrotic and regenerative hepatocyte changes. Glycogen preservation is most significant in acinar zone 1, and the degree of reduction of glycogen depositions is proportional to the duration of i.v. heroin abuse.

    Key words: heroin, glycogen, liver damage