SERUM GLUCURONIDASE ACTIVITY DURING NORMAL AND TOXEMIC PREGNANCY*

Abstract

THE introduction of a simple colorimetric method for the assay of mono-β-glucuronidase activity (22) has made the present study possible. Increased urinary excretion of estriol and pregnandiol glucuronide in pregnancy (4, 14, 23) has stimulated interest in serum glucuronidase activity in this condition. The present work establishes the serum glucuronidase level of normal and pregnant women and shows how the toxemias of pregnancy can be enzymatically differentiated. During pregnancy many changes occur in the enzymes of the blood. These are reported as an increase in protease (1), histaminase (2, 15, 25) and amylase (16) activity; and a decrease in lipase (19). In addition, extracts of the posterior lobe of the pituitary gland are inactivated by pregnancy serum (24, 27) or upon injection into pregnant patients (6). This antagonism can be assayed as “pitocinase” according to Page (18). During pregnancy toxemia a basic enzymatic disturbance beyond the normal changes seems to occur. There is a decrease in certain proteolytic enzymes (7, 8, 12, 17); although fibrinolytic activity increases (21, 26). Serum histaminase (2) and pitocinase (18) values are scattered on both sides of the normal curve, and there is no apparent correlation between their levels and the severity of the disease. The organism is more reactive than normal to injection of extracts of posterior pituitary, particularly to its pressor and antidiuretic components (6). A decrease in serum cholinesterase (13) may occur.