The effect of uropolinum, a diatrizoate contrast medium, on erythrocyte metabolism.

: In the presence of Uropolinum (sodium and N-methylglucamine diatrizoate) the lactate production of erythrocytes was decreased in half of the cases studied. The addition of albumin showed a protective effect on glycolysis of red blood cells. A decrease in glutathione reductase and increase in glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity was observed in all cases. Acethylcholinesterase activity was unaffected by Uropolinum. The activities of phosphohexose isomerase, phosphofructokinase. aldolase and ATP-ase were decreased in some subjects and increased in the others. It may be attributed to individual sensitivity of some subjects to diatrizoates and is consistent with clinical observations.