A simple paper chromatographic method for the study of transamination reactions

Abstract

Recently, the application of paper chromatography to the study of transamination reactions has been reported by several workers. The method adopted by Fincham is based on the visual comparison of the spots and as such it is only roughly quantitative. Tulpule and Patwardhan reported a method based on conversion of α-ketoglutaric acid and pyruvic acid to the respective dinitrophenyl-hydrazones and estimating them colorimetrically after paper chromatographic separation. This method, even though claimed to be accurate, is obviously time-consuming and tedious. While our work on transaminating systems in Indian pulses was in progress, Awapara's paper appeared in which the distribution of transaminases in rat organs was followed by using unidimensional paper chromatography.