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Percutaneous electrophoresis of amino acids and urea

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Abstract

A noninvasive method for the percutaneous extraction and determination of samples of metabolites is described. It involves the use of a battery-operated, constant-current supply for obtaining the samples by ‘in-vivo electrophoresis’. These are then examined in respect of their amino acid and urea content by thin-layer-chromatography. The results of examinations made on the hand (thenar eminence) show an increase in the amino acids and urea collected at the electrodes under conditions of electrophoresis, over that collected at similar electrodes without the current. Possible applications are discussed.

Sommaire

Description d'une méthode non-invasible pour l'extraction percutanée et al prise d'échantillons de métabolites. Cette méthode implique une alimentation en courant constant, marchant sur pile, pour obtenir les échantillons par ‘électrophosèse in vivo’ qui sont ensuite examinés, afin d'étudier leur teneur en urée et acides aminés par chromatographie de couches minces. Les résultats de ces examens faits sur le main (éminence de thénar) montrent une augmentation d'acides aminés et d'urée recueillis aux électrodes sous les conditions d'électrophèse, par rapport aux acides et urée recueillis à des électrodes semblables sans courant. Il s'ensuit une discussion des applications possibles.

Zusammenfassung

Eine nicht-invasive Methode zur perkutanen Extraktion und von Stoffwechselprodukten wird beschrieben. Hierbei wird ein konstanter, von einer Batterie gelieferter Strom verwendet, um Proben durch ‘Elektrophorese in vivo’ zu gewinnen. Diese werden sodann mittels Dünnschicht-Chromatographie auf ihren Aminosäure- und Urea-Gehalt hin untersucht. Die Ergebnisse der an der Hand (Daumenballen) durchgeführten Untersuchungungen ergeben einen höheren Wert für die Aminosäuren und Urae, welche an den Elektroden abgeschieden werden, unter Elektrophoresebedingungen gegenüber der an ähnlichen Elektroden ohne Strom abgeschiedenen. Es wird auf mögliche Anwendungsbereiche eingegangen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. separtment of Electrical Engineering University of Salford, M5 4WT, Salford, England

    S. Y. Shaya, C. W. Smith & J. G. Heathcote

  2. Department of Pure & Applied Chemistry University of Salford, M5 4WT, Salford, England

    S. Y. Shaya, C. W. Smith & J. G. Heathcote

Authors
  1. S. Y. Shaya
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  2. C. W. Smith
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  3. J. G. Heathcote
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Shaya, S.Y., Smith, C.W. & Heathcote, J.G. Percutaneous electrophoresis of amino acids and urea. Med. Biol. Eng. Comput. 16, 126–134 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02451912

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02451912

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