Abstract
Summary and Conclusions
Treatment of rabbits with phenylhydrazine, lead, and light has been found to produce a temporary condition which is chemically similar to porphyria in humans. The following features are similar to those observed in human porphyria erythropoietica. a. Uroporphyrin I is excreted in the urine. Values of up to 3466 μg per day have been observed, b. The major portion of the urinary porphyrin is excreted as the free form rather than as the zinc complex, c. Bone marrow uro- and coproporphyrin values were elevated to 1500-2000 μg% as compared to normal values of approximately 0 and 5-10 μg% respectively, d. Liver porphyrin concentrations are generally normal.
The following chemical features are characteristic of porphyria hepatica. a. The urinary porphobilinogen reaction is positive. This porphobilinogen has been fractionated by aluminum oxide chromatography into 2 components. The aldehyde of only one of them is extractable by N butyl alcohol, b. The increased excretion of urinary coproporphyrin is nearly all due to the type III isomer. Values ranging up to 1823 μg per day have been observed.
The authors are indebted to Dr. C. J. Watson for his helpful support and encouragement of these studies.
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