Detection of mycolic acid in leprous tissue.
A method is described for the extraction of mycolic acid from lepromatous leprosy tissues and from tuberculous tissues and its identification by thin layer chromatography. Verification of the mycolic acid extracted and separated by thin layer chromatography was accomplished by infrared spectroscopy. Although the presence of mycolic acid in tissues is not, in itself, diagnostic for leprosy, its demonstration in biopsy tissues might be a useful additional qualitative test if used in conjunction with clinical evidence of the disease.
D000818:Animals; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000378:metabolism*; D009171:Mycolic Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000378:metabolism
D009171:Mycolic Acids