Biomaterial Database

[Delta-Aminolevulinic acid in urine (screening method)]. 1995

K Tomokuni

Department of Community Health Science, Saga Medical School.

Various methods for determining urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) have been devised by many investigators since 1956. This paper introduces a history of the methodology in the determination of urinary ALA and application of some methods. These methods can be divided into two groups; one group consists of colorimetric methods based on the color reaction of ALA-pyrrole with Ehrlich's reagent, and the other group consists of fluorometric methods, based on the fluorescence derivatization of ALA and its separation by HPLC. Colorimetric methods are convenient and inexpensive, while these are less specific. On the other hand, the fluorometric HPLC methods are highly sensitive and specific, while these are expensive because of the high cost of the instruments.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011164	Porphyrias	A diverse group of metabolic diseases characterized by errors in the biosynthetic pathway of HEME in the LIVER, the BONE MARROW, or both. They are classified by the deficiency of specific enzymes, the tissue site of enzyme defect, or the clinical features that include neurological (acute) or cutaneous (skin lesions). Porphyrias can be hereditary or acquired as a result of toxicity to the hepatic or erythropoietic marrow tissues.	Porphyria,Porphyrin Disorder,Disorder, Porphyrin,Disorders, Porphyrin,Porphyrin Disorders
D002851	Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid	Liquid chromatographic techniques which feature high inlet pressures, high sensitivity, and high speed.	Chromatography, High Performance Liquid,Chromatography, High Speed Liquid,Chromatography, Liquid, High Pressure,HPLC,High Performance Liquid Chromatography,High-Performance Liquid Chromatography,UPLC,Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography,Chromatography, High-Performance Liquid,High-Performance Liquid Chromatographies,Liquid Chromatography, High-Performance
D003124	Colorimetry	Any technique by which an unknown color is evaluated in terms of standard colors. The technique may be visual, photoelectric, or indirect by means of spectrophotometry. It is used in chemistry and physics. (McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms, 4th ed)
D005470	Fluorometry	An analytical method for detecting and measuring FLUORESCENCE in compounds or targets such as cells, proteins, or nucleotides, or targets previously labeled with FLUORESCENCE AGENTS.	Fluorimetry,Fluorometric Analysis,Analysis, Fluorometric
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000622	Aminolevulinic Acid	A compound produced from succinyl-CoA and GLYCINE as an intermediate in heme synthesis. It is used as a PHOTOCHEMOTHERAPY for actinic KERATOSIS.	5-Amino Levulinic Acid,5-Aminolaevulinate,5-Aminolevulinate,Aminolevulinic Acid Hydrochloride,Delta-Aminolevulinic Acid,Levulan,5 Amino Levulinic Acid,5 Aminolaevulinate,5 Aminolevulinate,Acid Hydrochloride, Aminolevulinic,Acid, 5-Amino Levulinic,Acid, Aminolevulinic,Acid, Delta-Aminolevulinic,Delta Aminolevulinic Acid,Hydrochloride, Aminolevulinic Acid,Levulinic Acid, 5-Amino
D012680	Sensitivity and Specificity	Binary classification measures to assess test results. Sensitivity or recall rate is the proportion of true positives. Specificity is the probability of correctly determining the absence of a condition. (From Last, Dictionary of Epidemiology, 2d ed)	Specificity,Sensitivity,Specificity and Sensitivity