Studies of Coproporphyrin. Ii. An Investigation of the Contribution to the Urinary Coproporphyrin of Hemoglobin and of Bacterial Metabolism in the Intestinal Tract 12

Porphyrins in Health and Disease

“…Fcecal excretion has so far been little used, because of the complications introduced by bacterial synthesis of porphyrins in the intestine, and by bacterial conversion of hcematin compounds in the diet into porphyrins (protoporphyrin and other dicarboxylic porphyrins). According to Larson and Watson (1949) there is no evidence for reabsorption of these porphyrins from the intestine. At present mainly two ways are open, the study of the free porphyrin content of erythrocytes and that of urinary excretion.…”

Studies on the Entero-Hepatic Circulation of 14c Porphyrins

“…Watson (1964) stated that no direct evidence has been adduced that protoporphyrin, deuteroporphyrin or their respective haems are absorbed. Oral administration of porphyrins to man (Larson and Watson, 1949;Ortiz Vazquez and de la Gandara, 1959) and to rats (Hoffbauer et al, 1953) was not followed by apparent absorption. England et al (1960) reported that a pellagroid rash in a patient with Whipple's disease was induced by porphyrin producing enteric bacteria.…”