Analysis of Catecholamines by HPLC

Determination of urine catecholamines by capillary electrophoresis with dual-electrode amperometric detection

Demonstrated in this study is that without pretreatment and preconcentration nanomolar-level catecholamines in human urine samples can be quantitatively determined with ease by utilizing capillary electrophoresis coupled with amperometric detection. The detector employs a parallel-opposed dual-electrode scheme assembled with an on-capillary electrode and a disk electrode and takes advantage of the redox cycling of analytes between the two working electrodes to improve the limit of detection. The matrix effect of urine samples significantly decreases the detection sensitivity from that obtained in standard solutions. Therefore, calibration curves derived from standard solutions cannot be used in quantitative determination of catecholamines. Methods of standard addition and internal standard have been studied. The results suggest that isoproterenol is a good internal standard to facilitate the measurements of dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in human urine samples.

Modifications induced by -10 degrees Trendelenburg's posture in sodium tubular handling in patients with essential hypertension

In essential hypertensive patients "exaggerated natriuresis" is a response to acute volume expansion. However, the underlying mechanisms for this remain to be determined. We studied 19 patients with essential hypertension (HP) and 9 normotensive subjects (NS). In all examined subjects the response to acute central volume expansion, without the plasma compositional change that Trendelenburg's position involves, was evaluated during 90 min (period T) after a similar period of deambulation (period D). Mean blood pressure (MBP), tubular sodium handling by the lithium clearance technique, plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone (PA), plasma catecholamines and urine prostaglandine E2 and kallikrein were assessed after D and T. MBP was significantly higher in HP than in NS (p = 0.00001). HP showed "exaggerated natriuresis" after T (fractional excretion of sodium increased from 0.55 +/- 0.1% after D to 1.20 +/- 0.2% after T, p < 0.01). This was because of a decrease in their proximal fractional reabsorption of sodium (from 74.96 +/- 1.8% after D to 62.50 +/- 2.8% after T, p < 0.01). Plasma epinephrine and plasma dopamine after T were significantly lower than in standing position in HP (p < 0.01) but no in NS. The decrease in plasma renin activity after T in HP was 53%, and 32% in NS. There were not any significant differences between groups in the other neurohormonal systems studied. We conclude that the major determinant of "exaggerated natriuresis" in hypertensive patients is a higher stimulation of the cardiopulmonary receptors following Trendelenburg's position and consequently stronger reflex inhibition of sympathetic system activity and renin-angiotensin II activity. The "exaggerated natriuresis" after Trendelenburg's position in HP was an expression of abnormal pressure natriuresis.

Preparation of an optimum mobile phase for the simultaneous determination of neurochemicals in mouse brain tissues by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A systematic method is described for the optimization of a mobile phase for the simultaneous determination of 24 neurochemicals consisting of catecholamine, serotonin, their precursors and metabolites and related materials. This mobile phase contained sodium acetate (0.04 M), citric acid (0.01 M), sodium chloride (0.0126 M), sodium octyl sulfate (91 mg/l), tetrasodium EDTA (50 mg/l) and 10% (v/v) methanol. When this optimum mobile phase was applied to the analysis of brain tissues of the Swiss male mouse, twelve neurochemicals were quantified in the free state: tyrosine, L-beta-3,4-dihydroxyphenylanine, dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetic acid, norepinephrine, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, DL-3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid, DL-4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid, serotonin, L-tryptophan, 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid and DL-synephrine and normetanephrine, appearing as a fused peak. This fused peak was present on the chromatogram tracings of all the mouse brain tissues. The separable neurochemicals not found by this procedure in the Swiss male mouse tissues were DL-3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol,5-hydroxytryptophan, epinephrine, DL-octopamine, metanephrine, deoxyepinephrine, homovanillyl alcohol, N-acetylserotonin, tyramine and 3-methyltyramine.

Plasma catecholamines: laboratory aspects

In this review the methods used for analysis of plasma catecholamines in clinical chemical laboratories are discussed. The physiology of catecholamines as well as their measuring indications are discussed, together with concise evaluation of the methods most commonly used, namely indirect radioenzymatic assays or direct determinations by high-performance liquid chromatography combined with either electrochemical or fluorometric detection. The main advantage of radioenzymatic assay is its sensitivity and thus the need for only a small sample. Liquid chromatographic methods in general are less tedious, relatively rapid, and cheap, and omit the use of radionuclides. Both of these methods, however, are subject to a number of analytical errors, which can only be avoided by proper development of methods and skilled use of these methods. Little routine work is done using either radioimmunoassay or gas-chromatography.

Improved solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection of urinary catecholamines and 5-S-L-cysteinyl-L-dopa

We describe a rapid, precise, accurate liquid chromatographic procedure for determining urinary catecholamines and 5-S-L-cysteinyl-L-dopa. The catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine) and 5-S-L-cysteinyl-L-dopa are extracted from 1.0 ml of urine together with internal standards, by using a Bond-Elut strong cation-exchange (SCX) and an affinity phenylboronic acid (PBA) extraction column in series. The eluate obtained from PBA column is then chromatographed on a reversed-phase C18 column with a mobile phase containing pentane- and heptanesulfonate as ion-pair reagents. The detection is achieved with an amperometric detector set at an oxidation potential of +0.55 V. The chromatography is complete is less than 8 min for catecholamines and less than 5 min for cysteinyldopa. The method can measure less than 2 micrograms/l for catecholamines and 5 micrograms/l for cysteinyldopa. Analytical recoveries of catecholamines and cysteinyldopa added to urine pool ranged from 90-107%. Between run coefficient of variation ranged from 4.7 to 8%. None of the drugs and catecholamines metabolites tested interfered with the assay.

Determinations of catechols in small volumes of plasma using ion-pair reversed phase liquid chromatography/electrochemistry

A method with improved sensitivity for detection of catechols (CA) in small volumes of plasma using an ion-pair reversed phase HPLC system with electromechemical detection is presented. Fast isocratic separations were obtained by using 7.5 cm x 4.6 mm (i.d.) reversed phase columns with 3C18 3 micron silica particles. The CA:s L-DOPA, Noradrenaline (NA), Adrenaline (A), Dihydroxybenzylamine (DHBA, i.s.), DOPAC and Dopamine (DA) were separated in less than 4 min. The performance of three different electrochemical cells was compared with respect to hydrodynamic voltammogram, band broadening effect, linearity and detection limit. The sample preparation procedure using alumina extraction of CA:s, was modified to improve recoveries and decrease dilution factors. A modified carbon paste cell (CP-O) gave a response 4-8 times higher than what is previously reported for GC cells. Detection limits were: L-DOPA 80, NA 1.25, A 1.25, DHBA 0.4, DOPAC 1.25 and DA 0.6 pg/injection. Application to plasma from rat and fish (cod) under rest, exercise and stress is reported. The method allows determination of CA:s in small volumes of plasma (less than 500 microliter) obtained several times a day from the same animal even if it is small (less than 1/2 kg), is under rest and parts of the plasma sample are to be used for analysis of other parameters than CA:s.

Determination of catecholamines in plasma by HPLC and amperometric detection. Comparison with a radioenzymatic method

The determination of norepinephrine and epinephrine in plasma by HPLC with amperometric detection was modified, giving detection limits of 25 ng/l for norepinephrine and epinephrine, respectively, using 1 ml plasma. In order to achieve this sensitivity, it was necessary to minimize the background noise by modification of instrumentation and specimen handling. Particularly important was the extra purification of the reagents, the application of micro-bore HPLC, the enzymatic cleavage of uric acid and temperature control of the amperometric cell and the amplifier. Comparison of the present method with the radioenzymatic determination of catecholamines resulted in coefficients of correlation of r = 0.924 and 0.919 for norepinephrine and epinephrine, resp. (n = 38). The concentrations of the 38 different samples used for the comparison were in the physiological range.

Automated analysis of homovanillic acid and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid in biological fluids by coupled-column liquid chromatography and dual coulometric—amperometric detection

Homovanillic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) were determined by direct injection of plasma, urine and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) into a liquid chromatographic system comprising three columns, one packed with an anion-exchange gel and two with reversed-phase material. The acidic compounds were isolated by anion-exchange on the first column, enriched on the second and separated by reversed-phase chromatography on the last column. 5-HIAA and HVA were detected by coulometry and amperometry on two working electrodes coupled in series, giving limits of determination in plasma of 4 and 5 nmol l(-1) respectively. Endogenous plasma, urine and CSF-levels were determined with a precision (RSD) of 2-4%. 3-Methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylpropionic acid was identified in normal plasma and urine.

Drug level monitoring: cardiovascular drugs

Methods for the determination of cardiovascular drugs in blood and plasma are critically reviewed with emphasis on gas and liquid chromatographic techniques. The importance of the various procedures is discussed, in particular sample work-up where the conditions for isolation and derivatization of the compounds are decisive for the accuracy and precision of the methods. Compared with other assay techniques chromatographic methods are generally to be preferred owing to their better selectivity. In the review the following groups are discussed: digitalis glycosides, antiarrhythmic agents, beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, vasodilating agents, antihypertensive compounds, and diuretics.

Methodological considerations in the determination of plasma catecholamines by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

We report on a systematic investigation into some frequently encountered problems in the estimation of catecholamines in plasma and biological fluids using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The kinetics of adsorption and desorption of catecholamines from plasma on to alumina has been studied using laboratory-prepared and some commercial aluminas with various acids. Chromatographic conditions yielding optimal resolution and sensitivity have been characterised. Some possible interfering peaks have been identified. The stability of catecholamines in plasma has been studied.

Ammonium acetate: a general purpose buffer for clinical applications of high-performance liquid chromatography

The chromatographic properties of ammonium acetate have been studied, and its use as a general purpose buffer for reversed-phase chromatography has been investigated. Simple ammonium acetate systems can often replace complicated and expensive buffers, with or without ion-pairing agents, with improved column selectivity and efficiency. A wide range of clinically important compounds have been successfully separated by ammonium acetate buffer systems. These include creatinine, bilirubin, verapamil and its metabolites, etoposide and teniposide, vitamin A, biogenic amines and porphyrins.

Comparison of high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection and gas chromatography-mass fragmentography for the assay of salsolinol, dopamine and dopamine metabolites in food and beverage samples

High-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ED) and combined gas chromatography--mass spectrometry in the single-ion monitoring mode (GC--MS-SIM) have been used for the determination of salsolinol, dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethanol and norepinephrine in a selection of food and beverage samples. The unique specificity of the SIM mode allows a simple one-step extraction to be used even for complex sample matrices. We have been able to demonstrate the quantitative and qualitative advantages offered by GC--MS over HPLC--ED by direct comparison of the chromatographic data obtained. We demonstrate that the specificity of SIM and the benefits offered by the incorporation of deuterated internal standards make GC--MS-SIM the method of choice for valid identification and precise quantitation of salsolinol, dopamine and dopamine metabolites in a complex sample matrix.

High-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of S-adenosylmethionine and its metabolites in rat tissues: interrelationship with changes in biogenic catechol levels following treatment with L-dopa

A method is described for the simultaneous analysis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and its metabolites, S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) and decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine along with the natural polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine. The separation is obtained by a reversed-phase ion-pair liquid chromatographic procedure with gradient elution followed by dual detection. The UV absorbance at 254 nm is used for the analysis of SAM and of the SAM metabolites, whereas the polyamines and some major amino acids, e.g., methionine, tyrosine and tryptophan, are analyzed by fluorescence detection after UV-cell derivatization with o-phthalaldehyde. A separate ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure using isocratic elution and electrochemical detection is employed to analyse in the same tissue extracts the catechols and 5-hydroxyindoles, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), dopamine, norepinephrine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid, 4-hydroxy-3- methoxyphenylalanine , tryptophan, 5-hydroxytryptophan, serotonin and 5- hydroxyindolacetic acid. The sample preparation for the two HPLC procedures requires only homogenization of the tissues in perchloric acid and centrifugation before injection onto the column. The two chromatographic procedures have been applied to study the interrelationship, in various tissues of rats, between the SAM and SAH levels and the biogenic catechols after different treatments with L-DOPA alone or in combination with alpha- monofluoromethyl -DOPA, a potent enzyme-activated irreversible inhibitor of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase.

Recent advances in methods of direct optical resolution

Very great advances have been made in the field of direct optical resolution of organic compounds by chromatographic techniques. Chiral capillary gas chromatography now permits a determination of the enantiomeric composition of a few nanograms of a compound present in a mixture of many others. Coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry the technique will additionally permit structural elucidation; of great interest in pheromone research and related areas. Analytical separations of enantiomers are now also carried out by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods based on a variety of principles. Basically, two main types are used, differing as to whether the mobile phase has to be a chiral medium or not. Two-dimensional HPLC, whereby compounds separated on a non-chiral column are progressively and automatically transferred to a chiral column for optical resolution, has been used successsfully for chiral amino acid separations. Many different chiral sorbents for preparative LC and HPLC resolutions have been prepared; some of these are now used in columns capable of producing pure enantiomers from a given racemate at a rate of the order of one gram/hour in continuous, automatic HPLC procedures. Apart from all important applications of these results of optical resolution technology, an increased knowledge of the underlying chiral recognition phenomena responsible for enantioselection has also been achieved.

Simultaneous determination of catecholamines and metanephrines in urine by HPLC with fluorometric detection

A method is described for quantitative analysis of urinary free and conjugated catecholamines and metanephrines. The compounds are isolated from the urine by cation exchange on Amberlite CG 50. Separation is performed by ion-pair reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. For detection of the amines their native fluorescence emitted at 313 nm on excitation at 285 nm was monitored. There was good separation of the compounds of interest, while interference by exogenous compounds other than the catecholamines or metanephrines was minimal. The method is rapid and precise, and it has a broad linear working range for all six DOPA metabolites, making it suitable for clinical analysis. Reference values for children of 0-16 years were established. Examples are shown of excretion patterns of DOPA metabolites from patients with different types of neurogenic tumour.

Direct injection of plasma and urine in automated analysis of catecholamines by coupled-column liquid chromatography with post-column derivatization

Adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine have been quantified by direct injection of plasma and urine in a liquid chromatographic system comprising three columns, one packed with a boronic acid gel and two with reversed-phase material. The catecholamines were selectively adsorbed on the boronic acid gel and separated by ion-pair chromatography on the reversed-phase columns. Dopamine was detected by coulometry, while noradrenaline and adrenaline were detected by fluorimetry as trishydroxyindoles after post-column coulometric oxidation and alkaline rearrangement. The reaction rate constants of the post-column reactions were determined by a flow injection analysis approach. Limits of detection were 0.04, 0.05 and 1.6 pmol for noradrenaline, adrenaline and dopamine, respectively. Endogenous plasma levels of noradrenaline and adrenaline could be quantified with a precision (RSD) of 2-4%.

On-line high-performance liquid affinity chromatography-high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of monomeric ribonucleoside compounds in biological fluids

We describe an on-line multi-dimensional column chromatography system. It consists of a high-performance liquid affinity chromatography perfractionation column for cis-diol compounds and a series-connected reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography system for the analysis of ribonucleosides. This on-line procedure allows the rapid and direct analysis of methylated ribonucleic acid catabolites in biological fluids (serum, urine) and therefore might be useful in pathobiochemistry.

A study of the parameters affecting flow gradient analysis of catecholamines, DOPA and DOPAC by ion pair liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

A general method for the determination of norepinephrine, epinephrine, dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid is described. It employs the generation of a flow gradient during the analysis by ion-pair reversed phase liquid chromatography. The method allows a reduction of the analysis time maintaining high resolution of the peaks close to the solvent front. The effect of the flow gradient on column efficiency, detector response and retention are evaluated. The application to specimens of amniotic fluid, urine, human plasma and rat brain tissue is shown.

Metabolic and drug profiling

Over recent years, advances in analytical technology have greatly improved our ability to study the metabolism of compounds from either endogenous or erogenous sources. The application of gas-liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography and immunological approaches are discussed in relation to the analysis of steroids, bile acids, organic acids, prostaglandins, porphyrins and bile pigments, amino acids, proteins, nucleotides, catecholamines, vitamins and drugs.