Spermine and Spermidine in Normal Human Blood

Abstract

The aliphatic polyamines spermine and spermidine are widely distributed in various animal tissues, e. g. in the pancreas, spleen, liver, and especially the prostate, which is particularly rich in spermine (Rosenthal & Tabor 1956). On the other hand, little is known about the polyamine content of blood. Serum spermine content has been studied with copper carbonate, which gives a colored complex with polyamines. This Tokuoka reaction has been reported to be nonspecific and unsensitive (Tabor, Tabor & Rosenthal l96l). However, with chromatographic techniques the occurrence of spermine in blood has been proved with certainty (Rosenthal & Tabor 1956).