QUANTITATIVE MEASUREMENT OF α AMYLASE IN SERUM USING CARAWAY α

METHOD

By

Osekel joseph
Registration number: 2101600173

Soroti, Arapai
September 2022

© 2022 Joseph Osekel

All rights reserved
Abstract
In this quantitative determination of amylase in serum, a known quantity of starch was incubated
a lone and then later with serum for a certain time period when the amylase in serum hydrolyses
starch dextrin and maltose. The difference is the amount of starch before and after incubation with
serum amylase is measure of amylase activity. This difference was measured using iodide solution
as the colour reagent and absorbance measured using a spectrophotometer. The absorbances for
the test. and the control were measured and appropriate formular used to calculate the
concentration of the amylase in the serum and this was 111 U/L.

Introduction
The purpose of this experiment was to determine the concentration of serum amylase using the
Caraway α amylase method. The amylase in the serum hydrolyses the starch dextrin and maltose.
The α amylase hydrolyses the α(1⃗4) glycosidic bonds in amylose and amylopectin to yield
glucose, maltose and dextrins. The isomaltase breaks the α(1⃗6) glycosidic bonds.

Method
The apparatus used were labeled test tubes (B, T and C), semi-automated pipettes and
spectrophotometer and working reagent was Iodine. The starch (1 mL) was incubated for (3
minutes) alone then (20 µL) of serum was added and incubated together for (7.5 minutes). The
Iodine solution (1 mL) was then added and absorbances measured using a spectrophotometer and
tabulated. The concentration of α amylase was calculated using the formula provided.

Results
Table of Results

Test tube Blank (B) Test (T) Control (C)

Absorbance 0.425 0.393 0.369

Concentration of amylase = AB- AT ×1480

AB
The concentration of α Amylase = 111.0 U/L (Reference Range 70-1340 U/L)
Discussion

This test is used to detect and monitor the clinical course of pancreatitis. It is frequently ordered
when a patient presents with acute abdominal pain. The results go in this experiment fall within
the normal range and this is suggestive of no evidence of pancreatitis. However usually the critical
value for this test would be when the results go three time the upper limit normal, this would be
indicative of acute pancreatitis. Amylase is normally secreted from pancreatic acinar cells into the
pancreatic duct and then into the duodenum. Once in the intestine it aids in the catabolism of
carbohydrates to their component simple sugars. Damage to pancreatic acinar cells (as in
pancreatitis) or obstruction of the pancreatic duct flow (as in pancreatic carcinoma or common bile
duct gallstones) causes an outpouring of this enzyme into the intrapancreatic lymph system and
the free peritoneum. Blood vessels draining the free peritoneum and absorbing the lymph pick up
the excess amylase. An abnormal rise in the serum level of amylase occurs within 12 hours of the
onset of disease. Because amylase is rapidly cleared (2 hours) by the kidney, serum levels return
to normal 48 to 72 hours after the initial insult. Persistent pancreatitis, duct obstruction, or
pancreatic duct leak will cause persistent elevated amylase levels.

Other nonpancreatic diseases can cause elevated amylase levels in the serum. For example, during
bowel perforation, intraluminal amylase leaks into the free peritoneum and is picked up by the
peritoneal blood vessels. This results in an elevated serum amylase level. A penetrating peptic
ulcer into the pancreas will also cause elevated amylase levels. Duodenal obstruction can be
associated with less significant elevations in amylase.

Patients with chronic pancreatic disorders that have resulted in pancreatic cell destruction or
patients with massive hemorrhagic pancreatic necrosis often do not have high amylase levels,
because there may be so few pancreatic cells left to make amylase.

Conclusion

The Caraway α amylase method is suitable for quantitative measurement of amylase levels in the
serum because it is quick and précised but the test can be interfered by other factor like drugs e.g.
aspirin and corticosteroids and serum lipeamia.
References

1. Medical Biochemistry by N. Mallikarjuna Rao, 2nd Edison page 142

2. Mosbys Manual for Diagnostic and Laboratory Test by Pagana Pagana, 5th Edison

Biochemical role of saliva in digestion

It contains salivary amylase that breaks down starch to maltose at a PH of about 6.8

Saliva moistens food to make it easy to chew and swallow

Saliva contains carbonic anhydrase that buffers the PH of the mouth

It also contains substances like histatins, peroxidases, and cystatins that work as antifungals,
bactericides and antivirals respectively

It also contains lingual lipase that breaks down triglyceride into diglyceride and free fatty acids

It protects hard and soft tissues

Secretion of HCl

In the stomach, there are folds that have rugae and these rugae have parietal cells that have oxyntic
cells. CO2 diffuses from the blood vessel into the oxyntic cells where it combines with water to for
carbonic acid with help of carbonic anhydrase. The H2CO2 dissociates in to H+ and HCO3- . The
H+ moves to the lumen through H+/K+ exchanger by using 1 ATP while HCO3- moves to the blood
vessel while the chloride ions move from the contraluminal membrane by chloride shift through
Cl- /HCO3 channels to the lumen where they combine with H+ to form the hydrochloric acid
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLLEYu-EMuU).