Hyaluronidase biological effects

In humans, contact with LPS may occur not only during a bacterial infection but also via LPS-contaminated medicaments and solutions administrated intravenously (parenteralia). Since the biological effects of LPS may appear even at concentrations of 1 ng per 1 kg of body weight, drugs intended for parenteral use, have to be endotoxin-free , i.e., thoroughly depyrogenated. In fact parenteralia have to comply with LPS threshold limits (in EU , endotoxin unit) regulated by pharmacopoeias. For example, tetracycline hydrochloride may not contain more than 0.5 ELf/mg. Similar limits exist for insulin (0.8 EU/insulin unit), hyaluronidase (2.3 EU/ hyaluronidase unit), the sodium salt ofheparin for injection (0.003 EU/heparin unit). ... 

Lenormand, H., Deschrevel, B., and Vincent, J. C. (2010a). pH effects on the hyaluronan hydrolysis catalysed by hyaluronidase in the presence of proteins Part I. Dual aspect of the pH-depen-dence. Matrix Biology 29, 330-337. 

The first biological assay of hyaluronidase was based on the intradermal diffusion of dyes. The action of hyaluronidase has been measured either by the increased area of spread (78,83) or by the increased rate of flow of solutions injected under constant pressure (73,74,96,191). The latter method is claimed to give more quantitative results. The assay by the spreading effect has a special interest because of the clinical use of hyaluronidase. 

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