Abstract
The iodate titration method of Hess, 1 with slight modifications, has been applied to the determination of reduced glutathione in tungstic acid filtrates of blood in a series of almost 1000 cases. The method is accurate to 2 -mg. per 100 cc, and the only known blood constituents to interfere are thioneine and possibly vitamin C. Thio-neine is partly precipitated by tungstic acid, and could account maximally for only 2 mg. per 100 cc. The effect of vitamin C was not determined but should be insignificant.
Cell volumes by the hematocrit method were determined on most of the cases and reduced glutathione was expressed also on the basis of 100 cc. of cells.
Ninety-three normals gave a mean value of 27.5 mg. per 100 cc. of whole blood and 69.5 mg. per 100 cc. of cells. Variations were from 8 to 46 mg. per 100 cc. of whole blood.
Three hundred forty-two diabetic patients gave a mean value of 25.1 mg. per 100 cc. of whole blood and 66.1 mg. per 100 cc. of cells. The reduced glutathione did not vary consistently with insulin therapy, and did not vary with the level of blood sugar. In a smaller series of cases, reduced glutathione did not correlate with the saccharoids of the blood.
Eighty-eight nephritis cases showed a mean of 21.8 mg. per 100 cc. of whole blood and 68.4 mg. per 100 cc. of cells. Reduced glutathione did not accumulate in the blood when other nitrogen products were retained.
Series of determinations in cases of prostatitis, circulatory diseases, liver damage, fevers, tuberculosis, pneumonia, cancer and other pathological conditions, showed no direct correlation of reduced glutathione with the clinical diagnosis. In general, when the cell volume was low in anemic cases, the whole blood reduced glutathione was reduced below the normal mean, and the figure per 100 ce. of cells was high (80 to 90 mg.). The opposite was true for polycythemic cases.
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