Description
Background/Introduction: Sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH), found in organisms from bacteria to humans, converts sorbitol, the sugar alcohol form of glucose, to fructose, and the zinc-dependent reaction uses NAD+ as a cofactor. Organs abundant in SDH activity include the liver, kidney, lens and seminal vesicle. SDH and aldose reductase (AR) form the polyol pathway that interconverts glucose and fructose. Since SDH activity promotes the formation of NADH, the redox change induced by elevated SDH may have a pathogenic role in certain disease state, making SDH a potential therapeutic target. In addition, SDH has a close evolutionary relationship with alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). The assay is initiated with the enzymatic hydrolysis of the sorbitol by sorbitol dehydrogenase. The enzyme catalysed reaction products NADH, can be measured at a colorimetric readout at 340 nm