Effect of processing methods on colouration of human serum albumin preparations.

Abstract

Human serum albumin is a well tolerated therapeutic for the treatment of hypovolemia. Despite all commercial human albumin preparations being derived from plasma, these products can have a highly variable colour. Albumin samples derived from ethanol precipitation and chromatographic fractionation procedures were evaluated for bilirubin and biliverdin levels and by spectrophotometry. It was shown that albumin derived from a chromatographic process, which had a bilirubin:albumin ratio similar to that observed in plasma, had a vibrant yellow appearance. The albumin derived from ethanol precipitation had undetectable levels of bilirubin, and the amber colour of this product was attributed mainly to residual haem. The presence of bilirubin during pasteurisation led to oxidation to biliverdin, with a resultant colour change from yellow to yellow/green. Given that the antioxidant properties of bilirubin are well established, it is possible that bilirubin helps protect albumin from oxidation during the pasteurisation step.

• Authors: Karl B McCann, Yvonne Vucica, Sandy Famulari, Joseph Bertolini
• Journal: Biologicals : journal of the International Association of Biological Standardization (Biologicals) Vol. 37 Issue 1 Pg. 32-6 (Jan 2009) ISSN: 1095-8320 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18948018 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Pigments, Biological
• Serum Albumin
• Iron
• Biliverdine
• Bilirubin

Topics

• Bilirubin (analysis, isolation & purification)
• Biliverdine (analysis, isolation & purification)
• Color (standards)
• Drug Compounding (adverse effects, methods)
• Drug Contamination (prevention & control)
• Hot Temperature (adverse effects)
• Humans
• Iron (analysis, isolation & purification)
• Light (adverse effects)
• Pigments, Biological (analysis, isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Serum Albumin (analysis, chemical synthesis, chemistry, radiation effects)
• Sterilization (methods)