Observations on the Urinary Excretion of Thioctic Acid

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Abstract
The urine of several animal species, including man, contains an unidentified form of thioctic acid that supports the growth of Corynebacterium bovis but not Streptococcus faecalis on a propionate medium. The thioctic acid activity of the urine showed an increase followed by a return to normal during the first 24 hours after administration of dl-thioctic acid by several routes. Following this administration, the recovery of thioctic acid activity from the 24-hour urine ranged from 0.6 to 10 per cent of the dose administered, all in the form of the unidentified conjugate. The simultaneous administration of thiamine with dl-thioctic acid to man did not alter the thioctic acid activity in the urine. No storage of an injected dose in several of the viscera was detected. The thioctic acid activity in urine is conjugated probably through one or both of the sulfur atoms in a bond which is labile to acid or to sodium reduction but is stable to alkali. The use of thioctic acid in patients with elevations in blood keto-acids is discussed briefly.