Lipase assay in duodenal juice using a conductimetric method

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Enzymology
• Clinical Chemistry

Background:

• Lipase activity in duodenal juice fluctuates in pathological conditions, notably chronic pancreatitis.
• Current lipase assays primarily use olive oil or triolein substrates, often relying on potentiometry.
• Enzyme activity measurements can be enhanced by utilizing substrates that yield short-chain liberated acids.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel conductimetric method for assaying lipase activity in duodenal juice.
• To assess the efficacy of triacetin as a substrate for conductimetric lipase determination.
• To compare the performance of the conductimetric method against established potentiometric and spectrophotometric assays.

Main Methods:

• Development of a conductimetric assay for enzyme activity measurement.
• Application of the conductimetric method to lipase assay in duodenal juice using triacetin as a substrate.
• Comparative analysis with standard potentiometry (pH-stat) and spectrophotometry.

Main Results:

• The conductimetric method demonstrated higher sensitivity with triacetin due to the generation of short-chain fatty acids.
• High correlation coefficients were observed between the conductimetric method and potentiometry (0.94) and spectrophotometry (0.97).
• The results indicate the feasibility of using conductimetry for accurate lipase quantification.

Conclusions:

• The conductimetric method using triacetin is a viable and sensitive alternative for lipase assay in duodenal juice.
• This method shows strong agreement with established techniques, suggesting its utility in clinical diagnostics.
• The findings support the potential of conductimetry for evaluating pancreatic function and related diseases.