Spectroscopic Determination of Gum Acacia in Blood. Rate of Disappearance in Normal Dogs

Abstract

From the Pharmaco1o;gical La'boratorg, University of CaZif0mk.z Medical School, Salt Fran&co, Odif o m b .In the use of gum acacia in the treatment of nephrosis it is important to maintain a definite minimum concentration in the blood stream in order to derive satisfactory results. There is, therefore, need of a method for an accurate quantitative estimation of acacia on a sufficiently small sample of Wood so that the test may be frequently repeated, especially when small children are involved. Acacia is a pentosan and all the methods now employed are based on the production of furfural by heating with dilute acid, steam distilling the furfural and determining it either by weighing as the phloroglucidel or by forming a color-complex between furfural and analine acetate.' Both methods require samples too large to make them practical for this purpose. Another method based on the Shaff er-Hartmann procedure for the determination of reducing sugars freed by hydrolysis of the Folin-Wu filtrate, as suggested in a personal communication from Dr. Hartmann, is some improvement. We have, used this procedure on duplicate samples for comparison with a new spectroscopic method which we present herewith.Our method is essentially a reversal of the Pettenkofer test for bile salts, with conditions so arranged as to make it quantitative for furfural. The details are as follows: 0.5 to 1.0 cc. of blood is precipitated according to the standard Folin-Wu technic. Five-tenths to 2 cc. of the filtrate, sufficient to contain 0.5 to 1.0 mg. of acacia, is pipetted into a 10 cc. volumetric flask with enough distilled water added to give a total volume of 2 cc. ; and then 2 cc. of 80% sulfuric 1 Meek, W. J., and Gasser, H. S., Am. J.

Blood Plasma Proteins as Influenced by Intravenous Injection of Gum Acacia

“…The results show that a considerable amount of acacia has remained in the blood of dogs for as long as 144 days. Other workers (7,12,13) have indicated that gum acacia in appreciable quantities disappears from the blood of various animals in relatively short periods of time up to 5 to 7 days. All of such observations, the present included, obviously are dependent upon the quantity of the gum injected, the number of injections, and the elapsed time from the first to the last injection.…”

“…Concentration of gum acacia solution in whole blood and plasma was determined spectrophotometrically following the principles of the method described by Peoples and Phatak (13).…”

Eck Fistula Liver Subnormal in Producing Hemoglobin and Plasma Proteins on Diets Rich in Liver and Iron

“…Gum acacia was diluted in Locke's solution (minus calcinm chloride) to a concentration of 12 per cent and injected by vein. Concentration of gum acacia solution in whole blood was determined spectrophotometrically following the principles of the method described by Peoples and Phatak (6). Vi~min E is a mixture of distilled natural tocopherols.…”

“…Concentration of gum acacia solution in whole blood was determined spectrophotometrically following the principles of the method described by Peoples and Phatak (6). Vi~min E is a mixture of distilled natural tocopherols.…”