CAPILLARY ZONE ELECTROPHORETIC DETERMINATION OF ORGANIC-ACIDS IN CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID FROM PATIENTS WITH CENTRAL-NERVOUS-SYSTEM DISEASES

Organic acids in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with various central nervous system (CNS) diseases were determined by capillary zon e electrophoresis (CZE). Under one of the two sets of conditions emplo yed, several anionic components of CSF were separated into correspondi ng peaks on the electropherograms and determined. The other conditions employed were also useful in measurement of the lactate contents in C SF. The CSF levels of lactate and pyruvate and the ratios of lactate t o pyruvate were elevated in patients with cerebral infarction and bact erial meningitis, whereas CSF ascorbate was reduced mainly in inflamma tory disorders of the CNS. The results showed that CZE can become a po werful tool in the biochemical diagnosis of CNS diseases.