ENZYME ACTION DOMINATED BY ASSOCIATED COLLOIDS

Abstract

Ethyl alcohol, ether, and chloroform decreased the digestive action of diastase on soluble starch when the diastase was not associated with charcoal. When associated with charcoal, the digestive action was increased as reported for liver cells by Geiger. Hence, the associated colloids dominate the action of enzymes. Sulfanilamide, 0.2%, decreases diastatic activity only slightly either in absence or in presence of charcoal. This may be another part of the reason why sulfa drugs are so effective in controlling bacterial diseases.