PHYSIOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY 



diabetes, fevers, and in certain hepatic diseases in which the parenchyma 

 of the liver is seriously affected. Under other pathological conditions 

 the output may be diminished. These variations, however, in the 

 excretion of the volatile fatty acids possess very little diagnostic 

 value. 



CH 3 



PARALACTIC ACID, CH(OH) 

 COOH. 



Paralactic acid is supposed to pass into the urine when the supply 

 of oxygen in the organism is diminished through any cause, e.g., in 

 eclampsia, acute yellow atrophy of the liver, carbon-monoxide poisoning, 

 acute phosphorus poisoning, or epileptic attacks. This acid has also 

 been found in the urine of healthy persons following the physical exercise 

 incident to prolonged marching. Paralactic acid has been detected in 

 the urine of birds after the removal of the liver. Underhill reports the 

 occurrence of this acid in the urine of a case of pernicious vomiting of 



pregnancy. 



CH 2 .CO.NH.CH 2 .COOH. 



PHENACETURIC ACID, I | 



Phenaceturic acid occurs principally in the urine of herbivorous 

 animals. It may be isolated from the urine of the dog after feeding 

 phenylacetic acid. 1 It is produced in the organism through the synthesis 

 of glycocoll and phenylacetic acid. It is doubtful if it occurs in normal 

 human urine even after the ingestion of phenylacetic acid. It may be 

 decomposed into its component parts by boiling with dilute mineral 

 acids. The crystalline form of phenaceturic acid (small rhombic plates 

 with rounded angles) resembles one form of uric acid crystal. 



HC = C- CH = CH-COOH 



I 



UROCANIC ACID, HN N 



\> 



CH 



This acid has been found in the urine of dogs, but not in human 

 urine. It is imidazolyl-acrylic acid. Hunter 2 found it among the 

 pancreatic digestion products of casein. It crystallizes as sickle-shaped 

 crystals. 



1 Sherwin: Dissertation, Tubingen, 1915. 



2 Hunter: Jour. Biol. Chem., n, 537, 1913. 



