O rganic C hem istry
III. Changes of carbohydrate m etabolism . L
Pinctjssen and D. Jacoby (Biochem. Z., 1928, 195, 449—456).—The lactic acid content of the whole blood decreases by 20—30% during irradiation, but this is detected only when the animal is examined shortly after irradiation. The lactic acid content of serum, however, increases, and it is suggested th a t diiring irradiation the permeability of the corpuscles increases and a considerable p art of the lactic acid they contain passes into th e serum. The glycogen values for heart and muscle, if changing a t all, showr a slight decrease, b u t the total carbohydrate increases considerably. I t appears, therefore, th a t irradiation causes a sparing of sugar, but it is not certain whether this is due to decreased breakdown of sugar or to increased formation of sugar from lactic acid.
P . W . Clutterbttck.
D ecom position of sugar in the hum an placenta and the effect of horm ones thereon. S. H ay ash i (Biochem. Z., 1928, 196, 323—332).—Anaerobic decomposition of sugar in the human placenta is optimal a t p a 10. Of the hexoses, lsevulose yields lactic acid most readily, then dextrose, whilst galactose is almost without effect. Of disaccharides, sucrose gives most, and sodium sucrosephosphate and lactose give less lactic acid. Of the polysaccharides, glycogen is most readily attacked. The following hormones accelerate the anaerobic decomposition of sugar by the placenta, the extent of their activity being in the order given : insulin, folliculin, thyroxine, adrenaline, thymoglandol, and hypophysin. The human pla
centa is able to convert mcthylglyoxal into lactic
acid. P. W. C lu tte rb u c k .
M etabolism of the placenta. I . E. Is h i k a w a
(Biochem. Z., 1928, 195, 469—474).—Incubation under aseptic conditions of rabbit’s placenta or placenta extracts causes both aerobically and anaerobically an increase of reducing substances (glycogenolysis). Addition of dextrose has no effect on, and of lsevulose and dihydroxyacetone causes an acceleration of glycogenolysis. Placenta pulp and extract do not attack either lsevulose or dihydroxy
acetone under aseptic conditions in experiments lasting a short time. Under aerobic conditions the lactic acid content is usually initially decreased and then increases, wiiereas under anaerobic conditions, the initial decrease is not obtained. Addition of dextrose and lsevulose has no influence on the amount and course of lactic acid formation.
P. W. Cltjtterbuck. Calcium deposition in anim al tissues. I- Form of calcium in tissu es and tissue fluids. H- Kleinm ann. II. A cidity of tissu e in dystrophic calcification. H. Kleinmann and I. Remesow. III. E xperim ental calcification by adminis
tration of calcium salts. H. KleinmanN (Biochem.
Z., 1928, 196, 98—145, 146—160, 161—176).—
I. Experiments by means of cataphoresis show7 that cartilage has a more strongly acid nature and there
fore greater binding power for calcium than other tissues. The hydrogen carbonate and phosphate ions of serum are completely dialysable and therefore non- colloidal. Gassmann’s theory of a calcium phosphate- carbonate complex in bone is contested.
The effect of the solid phase on the deposition of serum-calcium was studied under varied conditions, by shaking both serum and Ringer solution with various substances. Inoculation of serum with tertiary calcium phosphate leads to a marked decrease in serum-calcium and in the carbon dioxide content.
Other solid phases such as glass and calcium carbonate have no action. The phenomenon appears to be mainly due to the crystallisation effect from a super
saturated liquid on addition of a crystal of the solute
—namely, calcium phosphate. A secondary effect is present depending on the exchange of the phosphate in the solid phase for the carbonate ion in solution.
This leads to a further precipitation of serum-
calcium. (
II. In an attem pt to account for the appearance oi the first crystal nuclei of calcium phosphate in calci
BIOCHEMISTRY. 919
fication, the acidity of dead tissue was compared with th a t of living tissue. One kidney of a rabbit was ligatured and the p a of the expressed fluid and ground
up organ from the two kidneys was compared after varying intervals of time. In all cases the dystrophic organ had the more alkaline reaction.
III. Artificial calcification in the tissues of mice was produced by feeding and by subcutaneous injec
tion of calcium salts with the addition of acid- or alkali-forming substances. Calcium was deposited with “ acid ” and with alternately “ acid and alkaline ” phosphate diet, but not with " alkaline ” phosphate diet. The subcutaneous injection of calcium and phosphoric acid showed even more clearly the influence of alkali or acid on calcium deposition. Calcium and phosphoric acid metabol
ism experiments were carried out on rabbits to which acid and alkali were administered. Acid produced a calcium and phosphoric acid excretion in excess of the intake, alkali rather the reverse. Poisoning with mercuric chloride seems to hinder the calcium and phosphate excretion. The deposition of calcium produced by metabolic disturbances is thus closely related to dystrophic calcification.
J. H. Bir k in s h a w.
Iron content of plant and anim al foods. W. H.
Peterso n and C. A. El v e h je m (J. Biol. Chem., 1928,
78, 215—223).—Figures are given for the iron content of 150 different animal and vegetable foodstuffs.
C. R. Ha r in g t o n.
Importance of m anganese to anim als. G . Bertrand and H. Na k a m u r a (Compt. rend., 1928,
186, 1480—1483; cf. A., 1924, i, 1151).—The period of survival of mice fed on a vitamin-deficient diet is increased by the presence of manganese salts. Con
siderable quantities of the metal are retained in the
body. G . A. C. G o u g h .
Is sea-w ater a physiologically equilibrated solution for the isolated organs of warm -blooded animals ? S. W. Zig a n o w (Biochcm. Z., 1928,
196, 333—339).—Sea-water, diluted until isotonic and heated to body temperature, can be introduced into the circulation of mammals without adverse results, can replace part of the blood (up to 40 c.c. per kg. body-weight) in cases of haemorrhage etc., and can be used as a physiologically equilibrated medium for the isolated intestine and heart, b u t in the last case the normal work is not maintained, the sympathetic innervation being depressed. P. W. Cl u t t e r b u c k.
Action of various g ases on the hen’s egg.
Absorption of carbon m onoxide as an inert gas.
S. Anc e l (Compt. rend., 1928, 1 8 6 , 1579—1580).—
The germs of the eggs, which do not develop after short exposure of the egg to a toxic gas such as hydrogen sulphide, ammonia, acetylene, or carbon dioxide, develop normally after exposure for several (lays to hydrogen, nitrogen, or carbon monoxide. I t is concluded th at carbon monoxide has no toxic action on living cells and th a t it is toxic for highly differ
entiated organisms only in the sense th a t it deprives them of their proper supply of oxygen.
G . A. C. Go u g h.
Comparison of the pharm acological action of diacetone alcohol and acetone. 13. C. Walton,
E. F. Ke h r, and A. S. Lo ev en h a r t (J. Pharm. Exp.
Ther., 1928, 3 3 , 175—183).—2 : 4-Dinitrophenyl- hydrazine gives a red precipitate with diacetono alcohol (acetonyldimethylcarbinol) and a yellow pre
cipitate with acetone, and the attem pt is being made to utilise this reaction in the analysis of mixtures of the two substances. Experiments on rats, rabbits, and dogs showed th at the carbinol is somewhat more toxic than acetone. Both substances produce a fall in blood pressure. The soporific action of the alcohol develops more rapidly and it has a more constant depressant effect on the respiration.
W . McCa r t n e y.
Influence of alcohols on the bile-stim ulating action of sa lts of bile acids. E . Prokop (Z. ges.
exp. Med., 1927, 5 8 , 330—339; Chem. Zentr., 1928, i, 1062).—E thyl alcohol and amylene hydrate inhibit the action of parenterally administered apocholic, bilianic, cholic, or deoxycholic, but not dehydrocholic,
acids. A. A. El d r id g e.
B iochem ical study of thiocarbam ide. E.
Nicolas and J . Le b d u s k a (Compt. rend., 1928,
1 8 6 , 1441—1443).—Solutions of thiocarbamide which up to a strength of 3% have no coagulating action on blood possess haemolytic action a t all concentrations, including th a t of the isotonic solution. Duodenal administration of I g. per kg. of body-weight produces, in the casé of dogs, only a slow and transient rise in the blood pressure with no respiratory effects. In tra venous doses of 10 and 11 g. per kg. for dogs and rabbits respectively cause death primarily through the haemolysis of the blood; thiocarbamide is less toxic than carbamide. G . A. C. G o u o h .
Parenteral action of irritants. I. Intra
vital decom position of protein in the liver of sensitised anim als. II. B iological action of parenterally injected am ino-acids. III. H isto
logical findings in liver. R. Wig a n d (Arch. exp.
Path. Pharm., 1928, 1 3 2 , 1—17, 18—27, 28—30).—
I. The method of Hashimoto and Pick (ibid., 1914, 1, 76), according to which the toxicity of parenterally injected substances is measured by determining after a certain time the ratio of the uncoagulable nitrogen to the total nitrogen in the liver of the injected animal, has not been found satisfactory.
II. Aliphatic amino-acids parenterally injected into guinea-pigs increase the number of leucocytes in the blood. Aspartic acid induces diuresis. Of various aliphatic and aromatic amino-acids tyrosine is peculiar in producing symptoms of profound collapse.
III . Histological findings observed in the liver of guinea-pigs injected parenterally 1—48 hr s. previously with horse-serum are described.
W . O. Kerm ack.
Pharm acology of certain pyridylpyrroles and derivatives of 2-am inopyridine. E. Din g e m a n s e
and J . P. Wib a u t (Arch. exp. Path. Pharm., 1928,
1 3 2 , 365—381).—By observing the general effect following subcutaneous injection in frogs, the anajs- thetic effect on decapitated frogs, on isolated nerve- muscle preparations, and on the rabbit’s cornea, and also the effect on the blood pressure of spinal cats, the pharmacology of 2-aminopyridine and its deriv
atives and of certain pyridylpyrroles has been
inves-tigated. 2-Aminopyridine has a strong toxic effect, produces convulsions, and raises the blood pressure.
Its derivatives show on the whole similar, but weaker properties. The pyridylpyfroles have a powerful anaesthetic action (stronger than cocaine), and pro
duce convulsions in certain cases. The effect on the blood pressure is variable. H. D. Ka y.
Purine diuresis in the dog. A. M. Pr e o-
b r a s c h e n sk i (Arch. exp. Path. Pharm., 1928, 132, 330—348).—If insufficient fluid is given to the animals, the diuretic effect of caffeine is inconstant. Theo
bromine, on the other hand, always produces some diuresis. If distilled water is given previously by the mouth, caffeine increases the urinary volume and also the amount of chloride excreted, whilst the blood- chloride is raised. In the same circumstances theo
bromine also increases the urinary volume, the excretion of chloride is raised, though to a smaller extent than with caSeine, but the blood-chloride is not increased.
Following the administration of 0-9% sodium chloride solution by mouth both caffeine and theobromine increase the urinary volume and chloride excretion ; the effect of caffeine is, however, greater than th a t of theobromine. Subcutaneous injection of caffeine results in an earlier occurrence of the diuresis and a higher urinary concentration of chloride.
H. D. Ka y.
Pharm acology of narcosis. “ Narcotic range." L. Le n d l e (Arch. exp. Path. Pharm., 1928,1 3 2 , 214—245).—The “ narcotic range ” (which lies between the minimum dose producing narcosis and the minimum lethal dose) has been determined for a number of homologous alcohols and the relations between their narcotic action and their chemical constitution are discussed. W. 0 . Kerm ack.
P harm acology of hydrogen cyanide in cold
blooded a n im als. I. Role of lung and skin respiration in the lightening of the colour of venous blood during poisoning by hydrogen cyanide. II. Effect of certain factors on oxidation in hydrogen cyanide poisoning. W. M.
Ka r a ssik (Arch. exp. Path. Pharm., 1928, 132, 193—204, 205—213).—I. The lightening of the colour of the venous blood of the frog under the action of hydrogen cyanide occurs less quickly and only with much larger doses when the lung respir
ation is inhibited.
II. Rise of temperature tends to bring about darkening of the blood of animals poisoned by
cyanide. W. 0 . Kerm ack.
U tilisation of carbohydrate in m am m als.
H . Ha n d o v sk y (Klin. Woch., 1927, 6, 2464—2466;
Chem. Zentr., 1928, i, 1059—1060).—In an atmosphere of very dilute hydrogen cyanide rabbits showed, besides inhibition of oxidation, (a) a disturbance of the skeletal muscular carbohydrate, (b) an increase of lower carbohydrates, (c) a diminution of glycogen—
the ratio glycogen/lactic acid becomes 1-5 instead of 3-5, (d) an increase of the extractablc muscular thiolic substances, (e) a decrease of cholesterol in muscle, but not in the liver. Injection of guanidine reduced the muscle-glycogen, values for the lower carbohydrates being fairly high. The ratio
carbo-hydrate/lactic acid was 2-0. Thiolic substances soluble in water were increased. Oral administration of synthalin (highly toxic) did not lead to significant change in the muscular carbohydrate or the blood- sugar, although the muscular water-soluble thiolic substances were increased. The effect of administra
tion of insulin, cysteine, and dithioglycollic acid was also investigated. A. A. El d r id g e.
Fatal case of poisoning by scopolam ine p e r os and by injected potassium cyanide. Location of the injected cyanide etc. A. Sch irm and D. H.
We st e r (Arch. Pharm., 1928, 2 6 6 , 283—289).
W . A. Sil v e s t e r.
G lycolysis in blood rendered non-coagulable by m eans of m orphine. G. Lo Monaco (Arch.
Farm, sperim., 1928, 4 5 , 1—5).—After injection of morphine into the mesenteric vein of dogs, the blood, which is rendered non-coagulable, exhibits marked hyperglycsemia. Under such conditions the glyco
lytic power of the blood is more pronounced than th a t of the normal blood of the same animal prior to the injection, regard being had to the dextrose
content. T. H. Po pe.
Hyperglycsemia in dogs after intravenous injection of pilocarpine nitrate. A. Le G r a n d
and G. B i e r e n t (Compt. rend. Soc. Biol., 1927, 97,
1483—14S4; Chem. Zentr., 1928, i, 936).—Injection of pilocarpine (1 mg.) increases the blood-sugar by 80%, after removal of the suprarenals, 10%, and after removal of the thyroid, 40%. After removal of suprarenals and thyroid, pilocarpine (1 mg.) is without influence on the blood-sugar. A. A. E l d r i d g e .
Comparative study of synthetic and natural ephedrines. K. K. Ch e n (J. Pharm. Exp. Ther., 1928, 3 3 , 237—258).—The hydrochloride of the synthetic material (Merck’s “ eplietonine ”) has m. p.
187° and with cupric hydroxide it gives an ether- extractable purple colour which is indistinguishable from th a t given by the same amount of the natural product. Qualitatively synthetic ephedrine possesses all the properties of the natural substance, but quantit
atively the former is in some respects less powerful.
W . McCa r t n e y.
U ltra-violet absorption spectra of alkaloids of the tropane group and of som e biological and pharm aceutical products. A. Castille and E.
Ru ppo l (Bull. Soc. Chim. biol., 1928, 1 0 , 623 668).—Ultra-violet absorption spectra have been determined for many alkaloids and other organic compounds of biological interest. The proportions of the tautomerides in acid and alkaline solutions of cyanuric acid, barbituric acid, and veronal may be determined from their spectra. The characteristic absorption spectra of alkaloids such as cocaine permit their determination in extracts of viscera containing large amounts of foreign substances.
G. A. C. Gough.
A case of hydrofluosilicic acid poisoning. J-
Drost (Pharm. Zentr., 1928, 6 9 , 385—386).
E. A. Lu n t.
Action of arsenic and related elem ents. "VX Conditions of action of salts of hydrogen s u l p h i d e
and hydrogen iodide on the nerve-m uscle pre
paration of the frog. R . La b e s (Arch. exp. Path.
BIOCHEMISTRY. 921
Pharm., 1928, 1 3 1 , 305—321).—The harmful action of hydrogen sulphide on a nerve-musele preparation is increased by the presence of oxidising agents (methylene-bluo and hydrogen peroxide) and it is concluded th a t its toxic action is due in p art a t least to the formation of sulphur in the tissue (cf. this vol.
548). Similarly, hydrogen iodide or alkali iodides exert a toxic action when conditions are favourable to the formation of free iodine, e.g., in presence of hydrogen peroxide. W. 0 . Kerm ack.
Is glutathione the arsenic receptor in insects ? D. E. Fin k (J. Econ. Entomol., 1927, 2 0 , 794—801).—
The normal glutathione content of insects is variable;
the determination is described. Injection of arsenious or arsenic acid reduces the glutathione by 41% and 32%, respectively. Chem ical Abstr a c ts.
Chem ical and enzym ic processes in the ligh t of stereochem ical research. C. Ne u b e r g and M.
K o b e l (Natunviss., 1928, 1 6 , 392— 396).—The work of Neuberg and colleagues is reviewed. When an ethereal solution of acetobromo-cZ-glucose and dl- borneol is shaken with silver carbonate and the solution subjected to steam distillation, Z-borneol is carried over. A partial resolution of racemic menthol can also be achieved in this way. The interaction of di-menthol, quinoline, and acetobromo-ci-glucose results in the formation of glucosides. The residue after steam distillation gives Z-menthol on hydrolysis.
Enzyme chemistry permits these purely chemical processes to be checked, since Z-menthol-a-glucoside is practically completely decomposed by a-glucosidase (maltase), b u t is unattacked by p-glucosidasc (emul- sin). On the other hand, (Z-menthol-fi-glucoside is hydrolysed to the extent of 93% by emulsin, but is perfectly stable towards maltase.
Methyl-?i-propylcarbinol can be separated into d- and Z-compounds after forming the glucoside, followed by fractional crystallisation. d-.4?tt!/Z-S-d- glucoside can be obtained in this way, whilst Z-amyl- P-tZ-glucoside remains in the mother-hquors.
The new methods of fractional fermentative hydro
lysis of the glucosides of racemic alcohols, for the preparation of optical isomerides, and the asymmetric action of vegetable phosphatase on the potassium salts of racemic monoborneolorthophosphate (cf. this vol., 88) are described. By the action of glyoxalase on methylglyoxal, an excess of Z-lactic acid is obtained, and on plienylglyoxal an almost quantitative yield of Z-mandelie acid is obtained. In the presence of lactic acid bacteria, (Z-mandelic acid is obtained.
R . A . Morton.
Enzymic processes in m am m alian skeletal muscle. M. K. B e a t t i e , J . B e l l , and T. H.
M ilr o y (J. Physiol., 1928, 6 5 , 109—145).—When extracts of muscle are incubated a t 22—45° in hydro
gen carbonate solution there is, approximately, an equimolar production of phosphoric and lactic acids from the breakdown of the hexosediphosphoric ester present. When glycogen is added, formation of lactic acid and esterification of phosphoric acid occur in roughly equimolar proportions. The rates of these changes are less a t 37° than a t 22°. At 45°
esterification is suppressed, b ut hydrolysis of glycogen and of phosphoric esters continues, whilst at 50°
diastatic action alone survives. In the presence of inorganic phosphate the amount of esterification exceeds the amount of lactic acid produced—most notably a t the lower temperatures. In the presence of fluoride, esterification alone occurs and is greater than in the absence of the fluoride. Electrometric studies of the increased acidity and changes in buffer capacity accompanying esterification of phosphoric acid indicate th at there are produced not only esters having dissociation constants about 10"° but also others having lower values. R. K. Ca n n a n.
M echanism of fluoride action. F. Lip m a n n (Biochem. Z., 1928, 1 9 6 , 3—21).—Sodium fluoride has a specific inhibitory action on the hydrolysis of hexose- and glycero-phosphoric esters by tissue and yeast enzymes. The formation of lactic acid in chopped muscle is also inhibited; this is a factor in the decrease of respiration. The oxidation quotient of lactic acid is diminished; in the presence of sufficient fluoride it approaches unity, when the whole of the lactic acid disappearing undergoes oxidation.
The oxidation of glycerophosphoric acid is almost unchanged by fluoride, but the hydrolysis is depressed.
Hydrocyanic acid has the opposite effect.
J . H. Bir k in s h a w.
M echanism of oxidative processes. XIII.
O xidases and peroxidases. H. Wie l a n d and H. Sut t e r (Ber., 1928, 6 1 , [B], 1060—1068).—
Attem pts to repeat the isolation from Lactarius vellereus of the material which accelerates the auto- oxidation of quinol with production of hydrogen peroxide (Wieland and Fischer, A., 1926, 806) have unexpectedly led to the isolation of Bach and Sbarsky’s enzyme (A., 1911, i, 824). The fungus is subjected to pressure and the expressed juice is treated with a small quantity of alcohol, whereby inert m atter is precipitated, and then with more alcohol, which causes separation of the crude enzyme; after dialysis, the latter is 630 times as active as the fungus paste.
Its activity^ is measured by observation of the rate of absorption of oxygen by buffered solutions of quinol in w ater; hydrogen peroxide is not thereby formed, although its presence is readily detected if Wieland and Fischer’s preparation (Joe. cit.) is added to the enzyme mixture. The activity of the enzyme is completely destroyed if its aqueous solution is heated for 3 min. at 100°, and is greatly restricted by hydro
cyanic acid. The optimal p a is 4-6. The rate of reaction is almost independent of the concentration of the quinol. I t scarcely accelerates auto-oxidation of the iodine ion.
cyanic acid. The optimal p a is 4-6. The rate of reaction is almost independent of the concentration of the quinol. I t scarcely accelerates auto-oxidation of the iodine ion.