Abstract
Summary
A bluish-violet color stable for 24 hours in a pH range of 5.5 to 8.0 results from addition of a solution of ferric ammonium oxalate to a solution of epinephrine or of suprarenal gland extracts. The transmittancy of the solution is determined at a wavelength of 555 mμ. The presence of ascorbic acid, uric acid or other naturally occurring substances found in adrenal glands does not interfere with the determination. This method is not applicable for the determination of epinephrine in blood or in drugs. The procedure is extremely simple and rapid and is capable of an accuracy of less than 1% to 5% as the greatest variation. The bluish-violet color that is obtained from minced autolyzing adrenal glands has been shown to be caused by a reaction between an epinephrine-like substance and iron products from the food chopper. A comparison of the specific extinction of various epinephrine standards and a note on the effects of dry storage is made (Fig. 1).
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