A Sensitive Semiautomated Method for Determination of Urinary Epinephrine and Norepinephrine

摘要

A very sensitive and reliable semiautomated method for measuring epinephrine and norepinephrine in urine has been developed in which catecholamines are initially isolated on an alumina column and then eluted with acid. Adjustment of hydrogen ion concentration of the acid eluated is made in the automated system; then, by subjection to the trihydroxyindole reaction, the fluorometric measurement is made. Use of two different stabilizing reagents allows the independent measurement of norepinephrine alone, and norepinephrine plus epinephrine; epinephrine can then be calculated by difference. Internal standards are included for correction of quenching, and blanks are run to eliminate extraneous fluorescence. Sensitivity of the method allows measurement of 0 to 6 micrograms % of epinephrine and 0 to 10 micrograms % of norepinephrine, making the method applicable to clinical and research investigations. (Author)