Improvement of the quantitative method for glucose determination using hexokinase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

This paper has two aims. The first one is to point out the shortcomings of Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) reference method for the measurement of glucose. We found that the quantity of enzyme used in the method recommended by the FDA was more than the exact quantity needed for accurate measurement. The use of exact quantity of enzyme is important to minimize the negative effects due to impurity and side reactions of enzymes. The second aim is to simulate the coupling enzyme reaction using computer. We have successfully established the exact quantity of enzyme needed in the assay through the computer simulation. The quantity of the enzyme was lesser than the that recommended by FDA, but the reaction ended at the same time as in the FDA method. In addition, optimum conditions and inhibitory effects of various reagents have also been successfully analyzed using computer. In conclusion, we suggest a reference method using computer simulation to determine the exact quantity of the coupling enzyme needed in the assay.