URINARY EXCRETION OF TRYPTOPHAN METABOLITES IN THE HEALTHY INFANT

Abstract
Urinary excretion of tryptophan metabolites was studied qualitatively by two-dimensional paper chromatography in a group of 50 healthy infants with no tryptophan supplementation. Twenty-two infants of this group were given 100 mg of L-tryptophan per kilogram of body-weight, and the 24-hour urinary excretions of kynurenine, kynurenic acid, 3-hydroxykynurenine, 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, and xanthurenic acid were estimated by quantitative paper chromatography. A high excretion of kynurenine was found to be a distinguishing feature. Various possibilities to explain this difference as compared to adults are discussed.

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