Studies on serum beta-glucuronidase activity and urinary tryptophan metabolites in human fascioliasis

In the last few years, human fascioliasis has been reported more frequently from different parts of the world including Egypt. The present work aimed to study the ability of fascioliasis affected patients to metabolize tryptophan and to explore how this disease can affect the activity of the hydrolytic lysosomal enzyme beta-glucuronidase. Liver and kidney functions and complete blood pictures of the studied patients were considered. Eleven tryptophan metabolites together with 4-pyridoxic acid, the major metabolite of vitamin B6, were determined. Fascioliasis showed an abnormal pattern of tryptophan metabolism which resembled that described earlier by Kupke and Knapp and which indicated that those patients were suffering from vitamin B6 deficiency. This conclusion was proved by the decreased levels of 4-pyridoxic acid. Abnormally high levels of beta-glucuronidase were also encountered in the fascioliasis cases which points to the liver damage caused by the fluke.