Effect of alkalinization on peritoneal diffusion of uric acid

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Abstract
Experimental studies were performed to determine the mechanism by which uric acid crosses the [dog] peritoneal membrane. Either alkalinization of peritoneal fluid with tris(hydroxymethyl) amino methane or acidification of plasma by induced respiratory acidosis increased the concentration of uric acid in the peritoneal fluid. Simultaneous urea diffusion into peritoneal fluid was unaffected by pH and supported the contention that altered permeability was not responsible for the increased concentration of uric acid. Additional studies showing that uric acid diffusion across the peritoneal membrane was not affected by lactate or pyrazinoic acid amide (pyrazinamide) offer evidence that the peritoneum does not possess an active secretory mechanism for the transport of uric acid. The observation that the partition of uric acid between peritoneal fluid and plasma is altered by pH strongly suggests that the peritoneum possesses a preferential permeability to non-ionized uric acid.