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Red cell cyanide.

C J Vesey, J Wilson

    The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology
    |January 1, 1978
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Whole blood cyanide assays can overestimate levels due to artifactual cyanide formation from thiocyanate, especially in plasma. Measuring plasma and red blood cells separately provides a more accurate assessment of metabolically relevant cyanide.

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    Area of Science:

    • Biochemistry
    • Toxicology
    • Clinical Chemistry

    Background:

    • Cyanide and thiocyanate are relevant in biological systems.
    • Accurate measurement of cyanide is crucial for toxicological and clinical assessments.
    • Previous studies may have been confounded by assay artifacts.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the artifactual formation of cyanide in whole blood assays.
    • To determine the role of red blood cells and hemoglobin in cyanide production.
    • To establish reliable methods for measuring metabolically relevant cyanide levels.

    Main Methods:

    • Acidification of whole blood, plasma, and red blood cells.
    • Assay of cyanide and thiocyanate concentrations.
    • Incubation of red blood cell hemolysates with thiocyanate at varying pH.

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  • Spectrophotometric analysis involving hemoglobin and carbon monoxide.

    • Main Results:

    • Whole blood cyanide levels were significantly higher than the sum of plasma and red blood cell levels.
    • Artifactual cyanide formation correlated with plasma thiocyanate concentrations.
    • Hemoglobin, particularly at acidic pH (4.5), facilitated cyanide production from thiocyanate.
    • Carbon monoxide exposure reduced this artifactual cyanide formation.

    Conclusions:

    • Red blood cells act as a 'cyanide sink', potentially masking true plasma cyanide levels.
    • The observed 'thiocyanate oxidase' activity is likely an artifact of hemoglobin-mediated cyanide production.
    • Separate assays of plasma and washed red blood cells are recommended for accurate whole blood cyanide determination.