A convenient spectrophotometric assay for the determination of L-ergothioneine in blood.

1. A convenient spectrophotometric assay for the determination of l-ergothioneine in solution including deproteinized blood haemolysate was developed. 2. The method consists of deproteinization by heat precipitation and Cu(2+)-catalysed oxidation of thiols such as glutathione and of l-ascorbic acid, both in alkaline media, and titration of l-ergothioneine (which is not oxidized under these conditions) by its virtually instantaneous reaction with 2,2'-dipyridyl disulphide at pH1. 3. This method and the results obtained with it for the analysis of human, horse, sheep and pig blood are compared with existing methods of l-ergothioneine analysis and the results obtained thereby.