Abstract
Increases in the bisulphite binding substances (B.B.S.) of the blood have been related to increases in pyruvic acid, both in beriberi 1 and following exhaustive exercise. 2 The B.B.S. has been shown to be elevated in beriberi 1 and other disease states, 3 and also following the injection of sodium pyruvate. 4 The present communication gives a brief résumé of the relationship of the B.B.S. to the blood pyruvic acid.
Pyruvic acid was estimated in blood by Peters and Thompson's modification of the Neuberg-Case method, 5 B.B.S. by a modification 3 of the Clift and Cook procedure. 6 The methods used for selection of clinical material 3 and for administering sodium pyruvate 4 are given elsewhere.
From pure aqueous solutions of lithium pyruvate an average of 85.7% of the theoretical amount of pyruvic acid as B.B.S. and 85.6% as pyruvic acid by the hydrazone method were recovered. The recovery of lithium pyruvate from blood, when added in amounts ranging between 10 and 20 mg. per 100 ml. of blood, averaged 90.4% of theoretical by the B.B.S. method and 79.9% by the hydrazone method. These values were obtained when the blood proteins were precipitated immediately after the addition of the pyruvate.
Thirteen subjects having a B.R.S. in the range previously accepted as normal 3 had blood pyruvic acid values between 0.19 and 0.79 mg. per 100 ml. Three patients with nutritional deficiency and with B.B.S. values of 6.6, 9.6, and 13.8, calculated as pyruvic acid in milligrams of pyruvic acid per 100 ml. of Mood, had pyruvic acid values by the hydrazone method of 0.73, 10.46, and 0.72 mg. per 100 ml., respectively. In both normal subjects and those with elevated B.B.S. there was a much greater increase in B.B.S. than could be accounted for on the basis of the amount of pyruvic acid present.
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