Porphyrin excretion in normal

Abstract

Porphyrin excretion in normal subjects was studied by solvent extraction procedures and by thin-layer chromatography of their methyl-esters.The mean value of the urinary coproporphyrin fraction was significantly higher in males than in females.Taking age also into account this difference was not significant in subjects under 20 years of age.Within the same sex, age did not have any influence on this coproporphyrin fraction.Neither of these two factors, i.e.sex and age modified the mean values of uroporphyrin fraction.Males and females showed similar amounts of fecal copro and protoporphyrin fractions.The thin-layer chromatographic urinary pattern revealed a minor porcentual value of octo-carboxylic-porphyrin in males, due mainly to a lower amount of porphyrin in the 20-40 year, period, when males also showed a decreased value of heptacarboxylic-porphyrin.Neither sex nor age modified the fecal chromatographic porphyrin pattern.Di-carboxylic porphyrins were always predominant, but theri appraisal was very frequently interfered by the presence in feces of fluorescent substances with a Rf similar to tri-carboxylic-porphyrin but with a pheophytinlike spectra.