Spectrophotometric method applicable to in vitro studies of Heinz body formation in erythrocytes

A simple quantitative procedure is described for the estimation of Heinz body formation in erythrocytes, based on the spectrophotometric measurement of the amount of crystal violet absorbed by precipitated Heinz bodies. Good correlation is shown between this method and the counting of Heinz body-containing erythrocytes in a microscopical preparation. This technique is particularly applicable to in vitro studies of the comparative effects produced in the erythrocyte by oxidant agents.