Behavior of certain acid hydrolases in the central nervous systems of various mammals

The activity of several acid hydrolases in different sections of the C.N.S. of various mammalian has been evaluated. The enzymes which have been studied are: beta-glucosidase, beta-galactosidase, beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase, beta-N-acetylgalactosaminidase, beta-glucuronidase, alpha-mannosidase. The enzymes show a higher activity in the gray matter than in the white matter. The results are interpreted on the assumption that glyco-lipoprotein turnover is higher in the gray matter than in the white matter, since myelin, which is the major component of the white matter, is a relatively stable structure

Hormonal aspects of human gout--excretion of adrenal hormone derivatives in gouty patients.

Forty-seven patients with gout, 28 of whom had not previously been treated with allopurinol, and 25 normal subjects, were examined for 24-h urinary excretion of the most important adrenal steroid derivatives. Results were submitted to statistical analysis and several variables have been taken in consideration. The untreated patients showed significantly higher values of uricemia, urinary uric acid, triglycerides, slightly higher values of androsterone, 11-oxo-androsterone + 11-oxo-etiocholanolone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and slightly lower values of 11-hydroxyandrosterone and pregnanetriol, in comparison to normal subjects. The different hormonal pattern seems to discriminate between patients with gout and normal subjects