The Fate of Tartaric Acid in the Human Body*

Until recently no accurate method existed for the quantitative determination of small amounts of tartaric acid in the urine. In 1931 Underhill, Peterman, and Krause (1) reported a calorimetric method based upon the reaction between metavanadates and tartaric acid in which a golden red color results. We are able to report upon its accuracy, for this identical method was developed independently by me in this laboratory and has been employed in our investigation upon tartaric acid during the past 3 years. The fate of tartaric acid both in experimental animals and in the human body has been the subject of a great many studies, the most important of which are those of Pohl (p), Brion (3), Neuberg and Saneyoshi (4), Underhill and coworkers (5), Salant and Smith (6), and Simpson (7). Yet, uncertainty existed until recently concerning the fate of this fruit acid in the human body. In general, the view has been that tartaric acid is oxidized in the body. Dakin in his book ((8) p. 61) states that both dand I-tartaric acids are oxidized in the body, though less readily than either malic or succinic acid. He quotes the work of Brion and of Neuberg. The results of the earlier work of Underhill (5) were also in accord with the view that tartaric acid is oxidized in the body. However, in these experiments upon rabbits, large doses of tartrates were used, causing damage to the kidney tubules and serious disturbances in renal function. In their recent work, Underhill, Leonard, Gross, and Jaleski (9) report results in animals which are at variance with earlier reports. In both rabbits and dogs, when non-toxic doses of tartrate are administered either orally or intramuscularly, they were able to