A Method for the Determination of Glutamine in Cerebrospinal Fluid and the Results in Hepatic Coma

Abstract

Thefreeamino-acids normally present incerebrospinal fluid areleucine, valine, alanine, glycine, serine, andglutamine. Theconcentration ofeach amino-acid ismuchless thanthatfoundinplasma, withtheexception ofglutamine, whichisinhigher concentration inthecerebrospinal fluid. Walshe (1951) examined thecerebrospinal fluid ofthree patients inhepatic coma bypaperchromatography andfoundan excessofglutamine. Thisimportantobservation suggested thatifa simple method forthequantitative determination oftheglutamine contentofthecerebrospinal fluidcouldbe developed, suchan estimation might provevaluable inthedifferential diagnosis ofcases ofhepatic coma.