Abstract
A simple and specific fluorometric method for the determination of serum argininosuccinic acid(ASA) was developed. The method is based on the enzymatic conversion of ASA to arginine with argininosuccinate lyase, followed by the specific fluorometric determination of arginine using 2, 3-naphthalenedicarbaldehyde. A linear calibration curve was obtained over the concentration range of 0.4-50.0nmol ASA in 100μl of sample, with a coefficient of variation of 3.2% (n=6) at 10.0nmol. This method was applicable to the determination of serum ASA with no separation step except for deproteinization. The recovery of ASA added to sera was found to be 103%, with a coefficient of variation of 3.9% (n=8). The results obtained by this method indicated that ASA was almost undetectable in sera of normal men.
