Triglycerides or

Triacylglycerol (Neutral Fat)

Esters of glycerol with three fatty
acids and the most abundant
naturally occuring lipids.
These are fats in the blood and are
used to provide energy to the body.
It is the main storage lipid in
man.
Excess triglyceride can be stored
in the liver or fat cells.

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
1. The best sample is serum taken from
a patient after a 12-14 hours fast.
2.Best anticoagulant : EDTA or Heparin
3.Fluoride or Oxalate can interfere
with the result.
4.Use adsorbents like xeolite or
silicate acid to remove interfering
substances.
5.Water is allowed.

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
6.Avoid intake of alcohol for
atleast 2 days prior to the test.
7. Avoid nicotine and caffeine few
hours from the test.
* If the patient is not fasting,
you'll have a turbid serum and
elevated triglyceride level.

METHOD
I. Chemical Methods
i. Colorimetric Method (Van Handel and
Zilversmith)
ii. Fluorometric Method (Hantzsch
Condensation)
II. Enzymatic Method
i. Glycerol Kinase Method

CHEMICAL METHOD
Colorimetric Method (Van Handel and
Zilversmith)
alcoholic potassium
hydroxide

Triglycerides

Glycerol + Fatty Acid

Glycerol oxidized by Periodic acid

Formaldehyde
HCHO + Chromotropic Acid
color compound

(+)Blue

CHEMICAL METHOD
Fluorometric Method (Hantzsch
Condensation)
alcoholic potassium
hydroxide

Triglycerides

Glycerol + Fatty Acid

Glycerol Oxidized by Periodic Acid

Formaldehyde
HCHO + Diacetyl Acetone + NH3
Lutidine Compound

Diacetyl

ENZYMATIC METHOD
Colorimetric enzyme test using
"glycerol-3-phosphate"
Triglyceride

lipoprotein lipase

Glycerol + ATP
phosphate + ADP

glycerol kinase

Glycerol + Fatty Acid

Glycerol-3-

glycerol-3phosphate oxidase

Glycerol-3-phosphate + O2
Dihydroxyacetone phosphate + H2O2 peroxidase
H2O2 + aminoantipyrine + 4-chlorophenol
Quinoneimine

REFERENCE METHOD
Modified Van Handel and Zilversmith
It is time-consuming manual method which cannot
be automated.
It involves alkaline hydrolysis (saponification) using
alcoholic potassium hydroxide, solvent extraction
with chloroform and the extract is treated with
salicic acid to isolate TAG, and a color reaction
with chromotropic acid, giving rise to a pink end
color.

INTERFERENCES
Bilirubin - up to 40 mg/dL
Ascorbic acid - 6 mg/dL
Hemoglobin - 250 mg/dL

COMPUTATIONS
CONVERSION FACTOR
Triglyceride (mg/dL) x 0.01126 =
Triglyceride (mmol/L)

COMPUTATIONS
Step 1
Take your cholesterol levels and put them
into the Friedman formula, except for VLDL:
LDL = total cholesterol - HDL - VLDL
Step 2
Rearrange the Friedman Formula so you are
calculating for VLDL:
VLDL = total cholesterol - HDL - LDL
Step 3
VLDL is equal to triglycerides divided by
five, so substitute accordingly in the
equation:
Triglycerides/5 = total cholesterol - HDL LDL

REFERENCE RANGE
Normal: <200mg/dL
Borderline high: 200-400mg/dL
High risk: >400mg/dL

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE
Alcoholism
Hypothyroidism
Pancreatitis

Hyperthyroidism
Malnutrition

THANK YOU!