Bilirubin

Bilirubin: what is it and how does it affect our health?

Bilirubin is a yellow pigment formed when red blood cells break down in our body. It is a product of the metabolism of hemoglobin and a number of other hemoproteins. Bilirubin travels to the liver, where it is processed and excreted from the body through bile.

When the process of formation and removal of bilirubin is disrupted, this can lead to an increase in its concentration in the blood and the appearance of a jaundiced color of the skin and mucous membranes. This condition is called hyperbilirubinemia and can be associated with various diseases such as hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, malaria, hemolytic anemia and others.

However, bilirubin also has an important function for our health. It is a powerful antioxidant that protects our cells from free radicals and other harmful substances. Bilirubin may also have anti-inflammatory effects and promote wound healing.

Some studies suggest that low bilirubin levels may be associated with the development of various diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Also, low bilirubin levels may be associated with increased sensitivity to light and other photoreactive substances.

Overall, bilirubin plays an important role in our body and its levels should be monitored to maintain good health. If you have problems with bilirubin, it is important to see your doctor to determine the cause and give appropriate treatment.

Introduction

Bilirubin is a yellow-red pigment found in blood cells, organic tissues and some biological fluids. It is a breakdown product of hemoglobin, myoglobin and cytochrome C. It is formed during the destruction of red blood cells. Excreted from the body mainly with bile and urine; it may be excreted through the sweat glands, which causes a yellowish coloration of the sweat and sclera. The main pathways of bilirubin metabolism are conjugation with glucuronic acid in the liver and excretion in bile. Conjugated forms of bilirubin detected in urine are markers of cholestasis due to impaired hepatobiliary circulation or other reasons. Normally, pigment-colored discharge is observed in the body during physical activity, stress and other conditions in which metabolic processes change. A violation of the physiological excretion of pigment with colored secretions is of diagnostic significance. The process of excessive degradation of hemoglobin is accompanied by a set of elements that are significant for the clinician, regardless of its color. For many years, bilirubin was considered as the final link in the metabolic transformations of hemoglobin. Significant advances in modern science have led to a significant refinement of data on its formation, isomerism and elimination pathways. The latter include the passage of bilirubin through the membranes of hepatocytes, as well as the entry of bile pigment into the bloodstream. Bilirubinogen-glucuronic conjuginase in different forms of Escherichia is localized on free and membrane-bound picrates. Thus, according to its mechanism of action, bilirubin is most often a poison under anaerobic conditions. HbO2 molecules are capable of binding free radicals of bilirubin as a result of acceptance