Opiate detection in saliva and urine--a prospective comparison by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Unlabelled: There is an increasing interest in saliva as an alternative analytic body fluid.

Objective: This study sought to determine the correlation of opiates analyzed in saliva and corresponding urine.

Methods: A total of 130 adequate and 24 inadequate samples were collected from patients participating in drug withdrawal therapy.

Determination of lamotrigine, carbamazepine and carbamazepine epoxide in human serum by gas chromatography mass spectrometry.

A method for the identification and quantification of the antiepileptics lamotrigine, carbamazepine and carbamazepine epoxide (active metabolite) in human serum is described. In refractory epilepsy the combination of carbamazepine and lamotrigine was recently developed to a modern therapeutic concept. The goal of this paper is therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of these substances.

Purification of human and rat kidney aldose reductase.

In the present study we report on a rapid two-step affinity chromatographic procedure to purify aldose reductase from human and rat kidney papilla and inner medulla. This enzyme, which is responsible for sorbitol formation in the kidney, was purified 145-fold from rat and 76-fold from human kidneys by consecutive Blue Sepharose and Matrex Orange chromatography. SDS-PAGE showed a single band of 38 kD for the human enzyme and a doublet of similar molecular weight for the rat kidney aldose reductase.

Mechanized toxicological serum tests in screening hospitalized patients.

A spectrum of quantitative and qualitative methods was adapted to the RA-1000/RA-XT selective analyser for the purpose of excluding or detecting common types of intoxication in the emergency laboratory of our primary care community hospital. Ethanol and salicylates (measured photometrically) and acetaminophen (measured immunologically by EMIT tox) were quantitatively analysed in serum. immunological group tests (EMIT tox) for barbiturates, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants and related compounds were used for qualitative analysis.

Overestimation of albumin in heparinized plasma.

Monochromatic measurement of albumin by the bromcresol green method leads to overestimation of albumin in the presence of heparin. The interference seems to be caused by fibrinogen, which, in the presence of heparin, produces an almost constant increase of the measuring signal over the whole range of suitable wavelengths (550 to 700 nm). The albumin overestimation can be eliminated by using a bichromatic modification.

Localization and regulation of the renal kallikrein kinin system: possible relations to renal transport functions.

The complete renal kallikrein kinin system has recently been localized in defined nephron segments. Kallikrein was found to be formed and secreted by connecting tubule cells in the late distal convoluted tubule, whereas kininogen and a novel kininase were located in collecting tubules. Kinins were shown to act on collecting tubule as well as medullary interstitial cells and the renal vasculature.

Quantification of kininogen in human renal medulla.

Renal kininogen was detected in human medullary tissue as well as human medullary tubule suspensions. After treatment with pig pancreatic kallikrein or human renal cortical homogenate liberated kinin was measured by bradykinin radioimmunoassay. In the absence of inhibitors kinins were degraded by kininases located in the same part of the kidney.

Kallikrein (kininogenase) in the mouse nephron: effect of dietary potassium.

Kininogenase activity of kallikrein was measured in microdissected mouse nephron segments using kininogen from dog plasma and a radioimmunoassay for bradykinin. When single nephron segments were examined, results showed a large scatter. This was found to be due to heterogeneity of distal convoluted tubules (DCT) from different nephrons, since replicate measurements in pools of DCT structures did not show this degree of variation.

Quantitative assessment of the binding of acetaminophen metabolites to mouse liver microsomal phospholipid.

Phospholipids were quantitatively extracted from microsomes and separated by an h.p.l.