Nagler Reaction – Lecithinase Test
Nagler’s Reaction or Lecithinase test is a test in biochemistry used to detect organisms that produce the phospholipases (lecithinases) e.g. Clostridium perfringens. Its alpha (a) toxin from C. perfringens exhibits the phospholipase enzyme activity, which aids in the distinction between C. perfringens and the other Clostridium species that generate the enzyme lecithinase (C.baratti, C.absonum, C.bifermantans, C.sordelli, and C.novyi) through neutralization of lecithin C activity with an antitoxin.