Variation in the Reducing Power of Plasma and Serum in Hypoprothrombinemia and Hemophilia

Summary

Normal plasma (or serum) reduces methylene blue into its colourless leukomethylene blue form as a result of heating. If the prothrombin complex (= prothrombin + factors VII, IX and X) of the plasma is decreased by dicoumarin treatment or removed by adsorption, the reducing time of methylene blue will be shortened significantly. The plasma (serum) of hemophilic patients (type A), similarly to hypoprothrombinemia, reduced methylene blue more rapidly than the plasma (serum) of normal individuals. Our examinations indicated a competition for H⁺, between the prothrombin complex and methylene blue and between the antihemophilic globulin and methylene blue. If prothrombin complex or antihemophilic globulin are absent from the plasma, more H⁺ will be available for the methylene blue resulting in its more rapid reduction into the colourless form of leuko-methylene blue.

The competition could be ėxplained that both prothrombin complex and antihemophilic globulin contain free -S-S bonds acting as an oxidizing—reducing system.

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