[Clinical pharmacology and possible applications of hyaluronidase with reference to Hylase "Dessau"].

Hyaluronidase is employed therapeutically since many years. The various detectable effects of hyaluronidase are referred to the action of this enzyme. Hyaluronidase depolymerises the mucopolysaccharide hyaluronic acid, a component of the mucoprotein ground substance or tissue cement. Hyaluronidase thereby increases in tissues the membrane permeability, reduces the viscosity and renders the tissues more readily permeable to injected fluids (spreading effect). The effects of hyaluronidase enables this enzyme to be used therapeutically to increase the speed of absorption and to diminish discomfort due to subcutaneous or intramuscular injection of fluid, to promote resorption of excess fluids and extravasated blood in the tissues and to increase the effectiveness of local anaesthesia. Hyaluronidase is widely used in many fields, i.e. in orthopaedia, surgery, ophthalmology, internal medicine, oncology, dermatology, gynaecology, etc. The following paper deals with the therapeutic uses of hyaluronidases and allows a review of the current and up to date status of the literature.