[The effect of osmic acid on synovial and serum beta-glucuronidase activity].

The authors report that osmic acid, in vitro, increases the activity of beta-glucuronidase in serum and synovial, ascitic and pleural fluids, whereas five other metals of similar molecular weight (platinum, gold, mercury, thallium and lead) are either inactive or inhibitory. By contrast the osmium diminishes the activity of LDH and acid phosphatases in serum and synovial fluid. This effect on beta-glucuronidase is thought to be due to inhibition of a natural inhibitor present in biological fluids, a protein found by several authors.