Abstract
Allantoin - the key compound in purine catabolism - is determined in biological systems using the Rimini's reaction, which involves treatment with 0.1 N alkali (100°C) and formation of allantoic acid, 0.025 N HCl (100°C), and production of urea and glyoxylic acid; final determination of the latter compound as a dinitrophenylhydrazine derivative. The reaction is subject to several interferences. The purification of allantoin is also difficult and thus it cannot be analyzed after labelled precursor administration. We evaluated the allantoin content in rat tissue extracts using two procedures: (1) allantoinase treatment (instead of alkali), subsequently proceeding as described above, (2) NaOH and HCl treatment, but a final determination of urea with urease and glutamate dehydrogenase. Results were lower compared with the conventional dinitrophenylhydrazine reaction. Precipitation of allantoin with Hg-acetate (followed by ion -exchange chromatography) guarantees excellent recovery of pure allantoin from tissue extracts. This has proved to be a simple procedure for determination of true allantoin content and of its labelling with isotopes for kinetic studies in different tissues.
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Stefano, A., Pizzichini, M., Resconi, G. et al. 3 DETERMINATION OF ALLANTOIN IN MAMMALIAN TISSUES. Pediatr Res 24, 111 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198807000-00027
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198807000-00027