THE RELATION BETWEEN URIC ACID EXCRETION AND HIPPURIC ACID SYNTHESIS IN MAN

Abstract

The retention of uric acid which occurs after ingestion of Na benzoate was investigated in 25 physically healthy schizophrenic subjects and in 2 subjects with toxic jaundice. In most instances the uric acid retention reached a peak during the 2d hr.; during the 3d and 4th hrs. it was proportional to the amt. of unexcreted Na benzoate, the correlation coefficient being +0.79 [plus or minus]0.044 in 35 urine samples. Since similar uric acid retention occurred in subjects with poor liver function, conversion of benzoate to hippurate is not an essential factor in the mechanism of the retention. Increases in blood lactic acid, averaging 1.5 mg. in 24 subjects, somewhat paralleled the changes in uric acid excretion.