Studies on the formation of glycocoll in the body. III / by Albert A. Epstein and Samuel Bookman.

  • Epstein, Albert Arthur, 1880-1965.
Date:
1914
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Studies on the formation of glycocoll in the body. III / by Albert A. Epstein and Samuel Bookman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    (From the Laboratory of Physiological Chemistry, Pathological Department, Mount Sinai Hospital, New York City.) (Received for publication, March 16, 1914.) The evidence gained from recent studies on the formation of glycocoll, leads to the conclusion that after the administration of benzoic acid to an animal,' a considerable part of the glycocoll eliminated as hippuric acid, is due to a synthesis of the amino-acid from simple substances. The belief that leucine, as a representative of the higher amino- acids, contributes to the formation of glycocoll by cleavage, has been subjected to experimental proof, but with inconclusive results. It seems that the increased glycocoll output which follows the administration of benzoyl-leucine, is due not to a direct cleavage of the leucine radical, but in all probability to a resynthesis of the simpler substances into which the leucine is decomposed. At least no other explanation is available for the difference in the results obtained with pure leucine and benzoic acid on the one hand, and with benzoyl-leucine on the other.1 From the experiments previously reported by the authors,2 it appears that the benzoyl radical of benzoyl-leucine possesses the power to couple more glycocoll within a given time than an equiv- alent amount of benzoic acid. Moreover, it is found that the administration of benzoic acid with leucine causes a smaller elimi- nation of hippuric acid than benzoic acid alone is capable of pro- ducing. The diminution of the hippuric acid output consequent upon the administration of leucine is not accompanied by a decrease in the general protein metabolism as is that observed upon 1 Epstein and Bookman: this Journal, xiii, p. 117, 1912, Magnus-Levy: Munch, med. Wochenschr., Hi, p. 2168, 1905. 2 Epstein and Bookman: loc. cit.