Sclavo Spa

Istituto Sieroteropico E. Vaccinogeno Toscano 'sclavo' S.p.a.

Alessandro Tabacco

Paolo Tarli

Paolo Neri

Paolo Fabrizi

Francesco Donnini

Paolo Tarli, Deceased

Edoardo Moda

The enzyme alanine aminotransferase (ALT) is colorimetrically determined as the hydrogen peroxide obtained in the pyruvate hydrolysis reaction catalysed by the enzyme pyruvate oxidase which develops a colour read at 550 nm making use of a reagent composition buffered at pH comprised within 7.0 and 7.5 containing L-alanine, ketoglutaric acid, a source of inorganic phosphorous, the enzyme pyruvate oxidase, a system for revealing the hydrogen peroxide and optionally one or more co-factors which interact in the enzymatic reaction catalysed by the enzyme pyruvate oxidase. It is moreover described a method for the determination of the enzyme alanine aminotransferase making use of said reagent composition and of the surface antigen of the hepatitis B virus (HBsAg), by enzyme-immune assay, in the same serum specimen and in the same well of a microtitration plate. The method is particularly useful for checking the suitability of the blood intended for transfusions since it can be easily carried out with equipments and instruments widely used for the immunoenzymatic screening of infectivity. Furthermore it enables to test in the same analytical assay the two labels of hepatocyte infections necessarily researched in the transfusion centres on biological specimens and to select among the donors the most likely candidates to transmission of the NANB hepatitis virus.

Method and reagent composition for the determination of alanine

A colorimetric reagent formulation is disclosed for the determination of the ferric iron content of serum. The formulation consists of two aqueous solutions. One solution, acting as chromogenic reagent, consists of a buffer, a soluble salt of an alkali or alkaline earth metal, chromazurol S in acidic form, and either a cationic or nonionic surfactant. The other solution, acting as masking reagent, consists of a complexing agent and if desired the same components of the chromogenic reagent, which are able to prevent the formation of the complex between the chromazurol S, the surfactant and the iron. The complexing agent consists of a polycarboxylic organic acid or salt thereof.

Method and reactive composition suitable for the colorimetric

A method for determining the iron-binding capability of transferrin, consisting in adding to the sample being tested a reagent composed of a solution of a ferric salt adsorbed onto a suspension of magnesium carbonate, centrifuging the mixture so obtained and measuring the iron blocked by transferrin in the supernatant. The method is preferably carried out by utilizing a particular composition consisting of a single reagent composed of a suspension of a solution of a ferric salt absorbed on magnesium carbonate, possibly a medium capable of maintaining the pH between 8 and 9, if desired, a colorimetric reagent for the determination of iron.

Method for determining transferrin and composition therefor

An improved colorimetric reagent is disclosed, which is adapted to the determination of the iron content in blood serum. The formulation comprises only two aqueous solutions: one of these comprises a buffer, a soluble salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal, Chromazurol B, a cationic or nonionic surfactant, whereas the other solution comprises a complexing agent and possibly the same ingredients of the chromogenic reagent for hindering the formation of the disturbing complex between chromazurol B, the surfactant and the iron: the complexing agent is a polycarboxylic acid or a salt thereof.

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Siena, Italy

Alessandro Tabacco