STUDIES OF COPROPORPHYRIN. II. AN INVESTIGATION OF THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE URINARY COPROPORPHYRIN OF HEMOGLOBIN AND OF BACTERIAL METABOLISM IN THE INTESTINAL TRACT 12

Abstract

Urinary and fecal coproporphyrin was detd. before, during, and after the feeding of hemoglobin and raw meat to dogs, and of hemoglobin to human beings. Observations were also made in a series of patients having gastrointestinal bleeding. In some of these there was marked hepatic functional impairment; in others the liver function was normal. In none of these expts. was any significant increase in urinary coproporphyrin observed. The feeding of relatively large amts. of coproporphyrin 1 or 3 by mouth also Sailed to influence the urinary coproporphyrin in normal individuals or in patients with liver disease. A number of observations on the bacterial synthesis of porphyrins revealed that various types of bacteria are able to synthesize small amts. of coproporphyrin, mainly the type III isomer in nutrient broth media. The addition of blood was unnecessary, and coproporphyrin was found to appear in the absence of any demonstrable heme compound in the media.