Thymol test ( thymol-veronal test, thymol-veronal test ) is a type of coagulation (sedimentary) test in which thymol is used as an agent acting on blood serum in veronal buffer. Used for functional research of the liver , evaluation of its protein-synthetic function. Norm: 0 - 4 units. Above the norm is pathology.
Method Essence
The chemical nature of the method has not been fully clarified. A number of authors believe that the test becomes positive with a decrease in the content of albumin and an increase in the content of β- and γ-globulins and lipoproteins associated with β-globulins. It is also believed that turbidity of a saturated solution of thymol occurs during the interaction of colloidal particles of thymol and a number of coarse proteins: γ-globulins and β-lipoproteins.
Thymol Test Increase
- Hepatitis A (Botkin's disease)
- Toxic hepatitis
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Systemic collagenoses
- Malaria
- Viral infections
- HIV infection
Thymol test is positive in 90-100% of cases of Botkin's disease (in the preicteric stage and in the anicteric form) and in toxic hepatitis.
The reaction is also positive with post-hepatitis and post-necrotic, especially icteric cirrhosis (unlike other forms of cirrhosis), with collagen diseases, malaria and viral infections.
With obstructive jaundice, the sample is negative in 75% of cases, which is important differential diagnostic value. With obstructive jaundice, a thymol test is positive only in cases where the process is complicated by parenchymal hepatitis .