Serum GalactoseDeterminationwith CentrifugalAnalyzers

I describe a rapid quantitative centrifugal analysis for galactose in blood. The technique involves galactose de-hydrogenase. As compared to the manual (o..toluidine) method for galactose determination, analysis time (4 mm 45 s on the GEMSAEC, 4 mm io s on the CentrifiChem) and sample volume (5 gil) were considerably reduced. Sample deproteinization is eliminated. A modified com-mercial kit was also tested. Results by the procedure correlate well with those by the more classical methods and analytical recovery is about 100%. The method is applied to the determination of galactose in intravenous galactose tolerance tests. Results of actual tests are re-ported. Additional Keyphrases: galactose dehydrogenase pseudo-end-point analysis GEMSAEC and CentrifiChem analyzers results for galactose tolerance test normal per-sons, cirrhotics, and hepatitis patients. liver-function test lactose assay. galactosemia A rapid technique of galactose determination in blood is needed because of the present development of the intravenous galactose elimination test (proposed as a good liver-function test). The association of centrifugal analyzers with enzymic techniques has permitted increased accuracy and speed. Until recently, the most commonly used methods for measuring blood galactose involved estimating the reducing power of this sugar after action of glucose oxidase (EC 1.1.3.4) (1,2). Now, fully enzymic methods are superseding the first ones. The enzymes used are galactose oxidase (EC 1.1.3.9) (3, 4) and galactose dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.48, here abbreviated “Gal DH ” in the Figures). A comparison between determinations with use of these two enzymes was described by Hjelm and Tengstrom (5); results were identical. Rommel et al. have reviewed all these methods (6). Galactose dehydrogenase has been studied by Doudoroff and others (7-11) and its application to galactose determi-nation was developed by Wallenfelds and Kurz (12). Rommel et al. (6) applied the technique to blood samples. Galactose metabolism in bacteria and man is now well understood (9