A simple chemical method for the determination of dermatan sulfate in the presence of chondroitin 4-sulfate and chondroitin 6-sulfate.

A simple chemical method for the determination of individual mucopolysaccharides in mixtures of dermatan sulfate and chondroitin sulfates by means of a single reagent was established, utilizing the difference in reaction rates of these polysaccharides with orcinol. To each 1 ml of a sample mixture of standard dermatan sulfate and standard chondroitin sulfate (either 4- or 6-sulfate) was added 3 ml of orcinol reagent and the resulting solution was heated in a boiling-water bath. After 20 and 60 min reaction, absorbances at 660 nm were measured and the concentrations of individual mucopolysaccharides were calculated. High reproducibility was observed for the determination of dermatan sulfate in the presence of chondroitin sulfates. In addition, orcinol reaction for 90 min employing D-glucuronolactone as a standard appeared to be of practical value in the estimation of the uronic acid content of these mucopolysaccharides.