Hippuric acid test using 13C-labelling and NMR spectroscopy.

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Medical Diagnostics
• Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Background:

• The hippuric acid test is a traditional method for evaluating liver function.
• Conventional methods for hippuric acid analysis are often time-consuming and require chromatographic separation.
• Assessing liver reserve is crucial for patient management and treatment planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and validate a novel 13C-labelling and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) approach for the hippuric acid test.
• To investigate the feasibility of using NMR spectroscopy for direct analysis of urinary hippuric acid.
• To establish whether this method can serve as a reliable index of liver reserve.

Main Methods:

• Administration of 13C-labelled benzoic acid to healthy subjects.
• Direct analysis of urine samples using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
• Quantitation of excreted 13C-labelled hippuric acid without chromatographic separation.

Main Results:

• The NMR approach successfully quantified 13C-labelled hippuric acid in urine samples.
• The amount of excreted labelled hippuric acid correlated with liver reserve.
• The method proved simple, convenient, and free from interference by endogenous hippuric acid.

Conclusions:

• The described 13C-NMR method is a feasible and advantageous alternative for the hippuric acid test.
• This approach provides a simple, direct, and sensitive index for evaluating liver reserve.
• The method offers potential for new insights into hepatic energy metabolism and liver function assessment.