Abstract
Summary
A colorimetric method based on the reaction of tryptophane with carbohydrates is described for the determination of serum non-glucosamine polysaccharide. The absorption maximum for the carbohy-drate-tryptophane compound is at 500 mμ for galactose and for mannose, 460 mμ for glucose, and 520 m//, for fructose. Glucuronic acid, glucosamine, and hemoglobin have maxima at wave lengths below 400 mμ. Glucuronic acid also exhibits a weak band at 480-500 mμ.
The absorption curves for alcohol precipitates from serum, ascitic fluid, and hydrocele fluid differ from postulated galactose-mannose-glucosamine curves by showing greater absorption in the 400-480 mμ, range. This difference diminishes when the polysaccharide is partly freed from protein.
Hemolysis, if marked, introduces a positive error in the method. The color produced by the carbohydrate tryptophane reaction obeys the Lambert-Beers law within the limits investigated.
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