HEMOLYTIC UNIT Meaning and
Definition
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A hemolytic unit is a quantifiable measure used in pharmacology and medicine to express the potency or activity of a substance in terms of its ability to cause the lysis or destruction of red blood cells. The term is primarily used in the context of antivenom or antiserum, which are used to treat envenomation or poisoning caused by toxins or venomous organisms.
Specifically, a hemolytic unit refers to the amount of antivenom or antiserum required to neutralize the hemolytic activity of a particular venom or toxin. Hemolysis is the process of rupturing or destroying red blood cells, leading to the release of hemoglobin. Venomous substances can trigger this destructive process, causing severe health consequences or even death.
The determination of the hemolytic unit involves laboratory tests where a known quantity of venom or toxin is mixed with a measured volume of antivenom or antiserum. The resulting mixture is then assessed for its ability to prevent or inhibit the hemolytic activity. The value assigned to the hemolytic unit represents the dilution factor of the antivenom or antiserum necessary to neutralize the venom or toxin.
Hemolytic units are essential for standardizing the potency of antivenom and antiserum preparations, ensuring that they are appropriately concentrated to effectively counteract the hemolytic effects of toxins or venoms. This allows for accurate dosing and treatment in cases of envenomation, providing clinicians with a reliable means of administering the appropriate amount of antivenom or antiserum to patients in need.
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The quantity of inactivated immune serum, which, complement being present, will cause complete hemolysis in 1 c.c. of a 5 per cent. emulsion of washed red blood-corpuscles.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for HEMOLYTIC UNIT
- gemolytic unit
- bemolytic unit
- nemolytic unit
- jemolytic unit
- uemolytic unit
- yemolytic unit
- hwmolytic unit
- hsmolytic unit
- hdmolytic unit
- hrmolytic unit
- h4molytic unit
- h3molytic unit
- henolytic unit
- hekolytic unit
- hejolytic unit
- hemilytic unit
- hemklytic unit
- hemllytic unit
- hemplytic unit
- hem0lytic unit
Etymology of HEMOLYTIC UNIT
The word "hemolytic" is derived from the combination of two Greek words: "hemo-" (meaning blood) and "-lytic" (meaning to dissolve or destroy). The term "unit" refers to a specific measurement or quantity. In the context of "hemolytic unit", it pertains to a standard unit used to measure the hemolytic (destructive to red blood cells) activity or potency of certain substances or compounds.
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