URINARY UROCANIC ACID IN MAN: THE IDENTIFICATION OF UROCANIC ACID AND THE COMPARATIVE EXCRETIONS OF UROCANIC ACID AND N-FORMIMINOGLUTAMIC ACID AFTER ORAL HISTIDINE IN PATIENTS WITH LIVER DISEASE

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Abstract
Urocanic acid (UA) has been definitively identified as a urinary metabolite in man. Methodologies for the quantification of UA and [alpha]-formiminoglutamic acid (FiGlu) in human urine are described in detail. Both UA and FiGlu excretion are increased after oral histidine loading in normal control subjects and in patients with hepatocellular disease. The response to loading in patients with hepatocellular disease is exaggerated. The complexity of the pathophysiological process in patients with liver disease is such that conclusions relative to the roles of folic acid deficiency, hepatocellular damage, and decreased enzyme activities in increasing UA and FiGlu excretions are speculative. The daily excretions of UA and FiGlu with and without oral histidine are reported in two subjects in detail.