Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is an oxidoreductase which catalyzes the interconversion of lactate and pyruvate. When disease or injury affects tissues containing LDH, the cells release LDH into the bloodstream, where it is identified in higher than normal levels. Therefore, LDH is most often measured to evaluate the presence of tissue or cell damage. The non-radioactive colorimetric LDH assay is based on the reduction of the tetrazolium salt MTT in a NADH-coupled enzymatic reaction to a reduced form of MTT which exhibits an absorption maximum at 565 nm. The intensity of the purple color formed is directly proportional to the enzyme activity.