Dimerisation of Bilirubin Diglucuronide and Formation of a Complex of Bilirubin and the Diglucuronide

Abstract

The reversible formation of a complex of bilirubin and bilirubin diglu curonide is demonstrated. The dissociation constant is 2 × 10⁻⁶M. Dimerisa tion of bilirubin diglucuronide has also been shown. The dissociation con stant for the dimer, 7 × 10⁻⁵M, is of the same order of magnitude as for dimer bilirubin and much higher than that of the above-mentioned complex. The complex is sufficiently stable to be present in blood plasma in vivo in certain types of icterus.

Key Words:

• Bilirubin
• bilirubin diglucuronide
• dimerisation
• icterus neo natorum
• pigment I