Inhibition of mucopolysaccharide sulfation using rabbit liver sulfotransferases.

A method of measuring the inhibition of sulfation of mucopolysaccharides employed the coupled-enzyme system of Wortman. The procedure utilized the phenol and mucopolysaccharide sulfotransferases of rabbit liver extract. Compounds tested as inhibitors included substituted salicylic acids and related compounds, some hydroxamic acids, other agents capable of metal-ion complexation, and miscellaneous compounds, mostly containing sulfur. The most effective inhibitors were vanillin oxime, salicylhydroxamic acid, and other substituted salicylic acid derivatives of weaker acid strength than salicylic acid.