Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), formerly known as glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), is an important aminotransferase in the body and is widely present in various tissues, with the highest activity in the heart. AST is the most active in the heart. It is found in very small amounts in normal human serum. 1, impaired liver function, AST is elevated in the blood can be seen in a variety of hepatitis B, cirrhosis, fatty liver, alcoholic liver and other hepatobiliary diseases. In liver function tests, glutathione aminotransferase is an indicator of liver cell damage, while aspartate aminotransferase is a criterion reflecting liver cell necrosis. 2.AST is more abundant in cardiomyocytes. When myocardial infarction occurs, the AST vitality in serum increases, which rises significantly within 6-12h after the onset of the disease and reaches a peak in 48h, and returns to normal in about 3-5 days. 3. Some external factors can also cause a transient increase in aspartate aminotransferase, such as exercise, eating, drinking alcohol, staying up late, drugs, etc. Classification There are 2 isoenzymes of glutamate aminotransferase in the liver, which exist in the mitochondria (mAST) and intracytoplasm (sAST) of hepatocytes respectively. In mild hepatocyte lesions, only sAST is released into the blood; when the lesions are severe, mAST is also released into the blood successively. Therefore, serum AST activity increases with the degree of hepatocyte damage. In HBV-infected hepatitis and liver disease, AST increases with ALT to a lesser extent, or although the magnitude is greater but for a short time, it may be mainly sAST, which has the same clinical significance as ALT; AST increases more than ALT, although the magnitude is not too great but lasts for a long time, which may be mainly mAST, suggesting the chronicity and progressive nature of the lesion. Mechanism Under normal conditions, glutathione is present in tissue cells, with the highest levels in cardiac muscle cells, followed by the liver, and very little in serum. Glutathione is mainly found in the mitochondria of hepatocytes and is only caused by high serum concentrations of glutathione when severe necrosis or destruction of the liver occurs. High glutathione aminotransferase, which is always high in patients with hepatitis, reflects the persistence of inflammation of liver cells, swelling and necrosis of liver cells. Measurement of serum levels of this enzyme can be used to help diagnose the disease and observe healing. Normal values The normal value of glutamic oxalacetic transaminase is 4-40 U/L (units per liter). Due to differences in reagents used by hospitals, the above normal values are for reference only. Test method Venous blood is taken on a 12-hour fast. That is to say, 12 hours before the test of glutamic aminotransferase, you should keep fasting and not eat, otherwise it will cause deviation of the test result. Clinical symptoms Clinically, patients with prolonged hepatitis B disease, high chronicity, heavy hepatocyte parenchymal damage, and poor prognosis usually show high glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT), with GTR/GTT less than 1.0. Patients with early cirrhosis and cirrhosis also show high GTR, with GTR/GTT ratio below 1.0. Clinical symptoms of high glutamic transaminase, which are also common symptoms of hepatitis, usually include low fever, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, poor appetite, and swelling and pain in the liver. In short, if you find yourself with high glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, don’t be too nervous and don’t worry that you are suffering from a serious liver disease, but you must also pay enough attention to it, get good rest and receive regular review and treatment in time. Liver function indicators Glutamic oxalacetic transaminase is an important indicator in liver function tests, and a high level indicates that the liver is being damaged. Various viral hepatitis, hepatic steatosis, liver abscess, liver tuberculosis, liver cancer, fatty liver, alcoholic liver, etc., can cause different degrees of transaminases elevation. But it is not necessarily caused by the liver, some drugs and diseases can also cause high transaminases. For example, myocardial infarction, pleurisy, and nephritis can all cause elevated transaminases. The cause of high glutamic transaminase indicates the existence of liver cell damage, usually seen in various hepatitis B, cirrhosis, fatty liver, alcoholic liver and other hepatobiliary diseases, further tests should be done, such as hepatitis B and half test, to determine the cause of high glutamic transaminase and treat the symptoms. High glutamic oxalacetic transaminase is also often seen in physical examinations, which many people do not understand. Aminotransferases are a class of enzymes that catalyze the transfer of amino acids to and from keto acids. It is commonly found in animal and plant tissues and microorganisms, with high levels in animal tissues such as heart muscle, brain, liver and kidney, as well as in mung bean sprouts. There are many kinds of enzymes, except for lysine and threonine, all other α-amino acids in the body can participate in amino transfer and each has its own specific aminotransferase. Among them, glutamate transaminase (GPT) and glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) are the most important. Glutathione aminotransferase catalyzes the transamination between glutamate and oxaloacetate. Glutamic transaminase is most active in the heart, followed by the liver, while GPT is most active in the liver. When liver cells are damaged, GPT is released into the blood, whereupon the enzyme activity in the blood increases significantly. When liver cells are damaged, GPT is released into the blood, so the enzyme activity in the blood increases significantly. For example, determination of GPT activity can diagnose normal liver function, and GPT activity in the serum of patients with acute hepatitis B can be significantly higher than normal; while determination of glutathione transaminase activity can help diagnose cardiac lesions, and glutathione transaminase activity in the serum shows an increase in myocardial infarction. However, some external factors can also cause a transient increase in glutathione, such as exercise, eating, drinking alcohol, staying up late, drugs (anti-inflammatory drugs, i.e. antibiotics, but cold medicine is not anti-inflammatory drugs, to be distinguished, but whether it is cold medicine or anti-inflammatory drugs, after taking may cause glutathione high), etc.. These conditions should be ruled out to review once, if the glutamic oxalacetic aminotransferase continues to increase.