D-amino acid levels in human physiological fluids.

Plasma, urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and amniotic fluid were examined to determine whether free D-amino acids were present and if so at what levels. It was found that D-amino acids exist in all physiological fluids tested, but that their level varied considerably. The lowest levels of D-amino acids were usually found in amniotic fluid or CSF (almost always < 1% of the corresponding L-amino acid). The highest levels were found in urine (usually tenth percent to low percent levels). Pipecolic acid seemed to be different from the other amino acids tested in that it was excreted primarily as the D-enantiomer (often > 90%). Correspondingly high levels of D-pipecolic acid were not found in plasma. Some of the trends found in this work seemed to be analogous to those found in a recent rodent study.