Postmortem changes in uric acid and ascorbic acid in human cerebral cortex tissues excised after cardiac death

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Neuroscience
• Cardiology

Background:

• Uric acid (UA) and ascorbic acid (AA) are crucial biomolecules.
• Previous research has not quantified UA in human brain and heart tissues.
• Understanding post-mortem changes in these tissues is vital for forensic and medical science.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine uric acid (UA) and ascorbic acid (AA) levels in human cerebral cortex and heart tissues post-mortem.
• To investigate the relationship between tissue UA/AA levels and post-mortem interval.
• To establish the utility of HPLC-ECD for simultaneous UA and AA determination in mammalian tissues.

Main Methods:

• Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection (ECD).
• Analysis of human cerebral cortex and heart tissues obtained after cardiac death.
• Quantification of UA and AA concentrations in relation to time since death.

Main Results:

• Ascorbic acid (AA) levels decreased, while uric acid (UA) levels increased in cerebral cortex tissues over time post-mortem.
• No significant correlation was found between heart tissue UA levels and post-mortem interval.
• Heart tissues exhibited significantly higher UA levels compared to cerebral cortex tissues.

Conclusions:

• The HPLC-ECD method is effective for simultaneous determination of UA and AA in mammalian tissues.
• Post-mortem UA accumulation in the brain and its high concentration in the heart warrant further investigation.
• This study provides a foundation for understanding the role of UA in neurological and cardiac health and disease.