fursultiamin and Alcohol-Amnestic-Disorder

The Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, commonplace in Australia, might be prevented by the enrichment of alcoholic beverages with thiamine. The use of the well absorbed thiamine alkyl disulphides for the enrichment of the most relevant Australian beverage, namely beer, is examined. A liquid chromatographic method is described whereby thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryl disulphide and thiamine propyl disulphide can be detected in beer in concentrations down to 125 ng/ml. It is concluded that the thiamine alkyl disulphides offer no special advantage because their disulphide bonds are reduced by substances in beer, yielding free thiamine.

Topics: Alcohol Amnestic Disorder; Australia; Beer; Drug Stability; Food, Fortified; Fursultiamin; Humans; Oxidation-Reduction; Pyrimidines; Syndrome; Thiamine; Wernicke Encephalopathy

A pair of monozygotic twins, one suffering from the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, verified at autopsy, and the other healthy, was studied biochemically. The erythrocyte transketolase of each twin showed abnormalities, though these differed in the two individuals. In the healthy twin, the basal transketolase was low, but responded normally to thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) added in vitro. In the twin with the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome the basal level of the enzyme and its response in vitro were normal, but a period of treatment with thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryldisulphide, led to loss of the in vitro response. It is suggested that, initially, an inborn error of metabolism may have been common to both twins.

Topics: Alcohol Amnestic Disorder; Diseases in Twins; Erythrocytes; Female; Fursultiamin; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pregnancy; Thiamine Pyrophosphate; Transketolase; Twins, Monozygotic; Wernicke Encephalopathy

Erythrocyte transketolase activity and the effect of adding thiamine pyrophosphate (% TPP effect) were measured in subjects suffering from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome both before and during treatment with thiamine and/or thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryldisulphide (TTFD). Transketolase activity was significantly lower in untreated patients than in healthy volunteers. Treatment with either thiamine or with TTFD restored enzyme levels to control values but TTFD produced a greater increase than thiamine in enzyme activity. In a group of seven patients there was no correlation between duration of TTFD therapy and either increase in erythrocyte transketolase activity or % decrease in the TPP effect. However, when three patients were followed at intervals during treatment with TTFD, their erythrocyte transketolase increased progressively. Neither thiamine nor TTFD produced clinical improvement in the mental symptoms of Wernicke-Korsakoff psychosis unless administered early in the course of the disease.

Topics: Alcohol Amnestic Disorder; Erythrocytes; Fursultiamin; Humans; Middle Aged; Thiamine; Thiamine Pyrophosphate; Time Factors; Transketolase; Wernicke Encephalopathy