The Urinary Pigments in Four Cases of Alcoholic Pellagra

Abstract

Beckh, Ellinger and Spies 1 employed a very simple procedure for detecting and estimating porphyrin in the urine in 20 cases of pellagra. This consisted of extraction of the acidified urine with ether, after which the ether was extracted with a small amount of 25% HCl. The presence of a red or red violet color in this solution was considered due to porphyrin, and was estimated colorimetrically by comparison with a standard porphyrin solution.

In the present investigation the results of the B.E.S. (Beckh-Ellinger-Spies) test have been compared with the values for coproporphyrin obtained by means of a slight modification of the Fikentscher 2 method (estimation of red fluorescence of coproporphyrin in ultraviolet light, with the Zeiss stufenphotometer). Quantitative determinations were made in 3 of 4 cases of typical alcoholic pellagra.∗ In the first case but a single 24-hour urine sample was available prior to nicotinic acid therapy; this was examined qualitatively by the usual acetic and ether, followed by 5% HCl, extractions. The amount of porphyrin did not appear to be appreciably increased.

In a series of 5 normal individuals the range of coproporphyrin with the quantitative method employed, was 16-62.8γ per day. In the 3 pellagra cases in whom determinations were made, the following results were obtained:

It is seen that the amounts of coproporphyrin were distinctly increased prior to nicotinic acid therapy, decreasing significantly, although not into the normal range, thereafter.