Comparative Impact of Chronic Consumption of Burukutu and Beer on Liver Biomarkers in Male Volunteers in Akwanga Lga Narasawa State

Author(s):

Uchendu Ikenna Kingsley, Chuntan Pius Jibrin, Agu Chidozie Elochukwu*, Orji Oliver Chukwuma, Chukwu John-Paul Ikechukwu, Nnedu Ebuka Bitrus and Okongwu Uzoma Chinenye

Background/Aim: Alcohol is implicated as one of the major risk factor in the development of liver diseases. Its consumption has a long time history in human existence. The comparative impact of burukutu, a sorghum-based alcoholic beverage and commercial beer on the liver biomarkers of consumers was investigated. Method and Design: Eighty (80) volunteer male subjects in Akanga LGA, Nasarawa state, between the ages of 20-60 yrs, were recruited for the study. Thirty (30) subjects were chronic burukutu consumers, another thirty (30) were chronic beer consumers and the remaining twenty (20) were control subjects who neither consume burukutu nor beer or any other alcoholic drink. All the subjects were apparently healthy and free from liver disease. The liver function status (LFT) was determined by analyzing the liver function biomarkers with chemistry auto analyzer (CHEMWELL 2910) using 5ml of blood sample collected from each subject. Results: Results showed a statistically significant increase in ALP level (p<0.001) and AST level (P<0.05) in chronic burukutu consumers when compared with control subjects; while chronic consumers of beer had statistically significant increase in ALP levels (P<0.05) only as against the control subjects. Data comparison according to age bracket revealed a statistically significant difference in ALP level (P<0.05) between 20-29 yrs and 40-49 yrs in chronic burukutu consumers. Furthermore, ALP was significantly decreased (P<0.001) and (P<0.05) in groups, 6-10 yrs and >10 yrs respectively when data was compared with 1-5 yrs group according to period of exposure to chronic burukutu consumption. Albumin also had a statistically significant decreased level (P<0.05) in chronic burukutu consumers with >10 yrs of exposure to chronic drinking when compared with 1-5 yrs. AST/ALT ratio in chronic burukutu consumers was suggestive of alcohol abuse. Other liver biomarkers such as total protein (TP), total bilirubin (TB), direct bilirubin (DB) as well as ALT showed slight increase in levels, but the increase were however not significant (P>0.05) in both chronic burukutu or beer consumers when compared with control subjects. Conclusion: Burukutu seems to have more statistically significant impact on the liver biomarkers than commercial beer perhaps, due to its relatively high alcoholic content obtained by local and unstandardized brewing process.