THE INFLUENCE OF LACTIC ACID ON HEMOLYSIS

¹ From the Department of Pathology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri

1. Sodium lactate inhibits the hemolyticaction otherwise caused by hypotonic sodium chloride solutions. With a concentration of 0.4 per cent NaCl a decrease in hemolysis takes place concomitant with an increase in concentrations of sodium lactate. With still lower concentrations of NaCl, hemolysis was intensified to such an extent that with 0.3 per cent NaCl hemolysis was complete notwithstanding the addition of 1:1,000 lactic acid and that with 0.2 per cent NaCl it was complete with 1:500 lactic acid, lactic acid being used in the form of sodium lactate solution.

2. a. With sodium lactate of pH = 7 alone hemolysis occurred at a concentration of about 1:200 to 1:300.

b. With sodium lactate pH = 5 it occurred at a concentration of about 1:100 to 1:200, and was accompanied by a simultaneous destruction of hemoglobin.

c. With lactic acid alone an instantaneous decomposition of hemoglobin takes place.