SENSITIVE HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF 2-PHENYLETHYLAMINE IN HUMAN URINE

A new sensitive high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with fluorescence detection was developed for the determination of 2-p henylethylamine (PEA) in human urine. The analytical procedure involve d a simple extraction of the analyte from urine, followed by precolumn derivatisation of the sample with o-phthalaldehyde. The HPLC separati on was performed under isocratic conditions using an Erbasil S C-18 (2 50 X 4.0 mm I.D., particle size 3 mu m) reversed-phase column. The lim it of quantitation was 0.5 ng of PEA/ml of urine. The method showed go od linearity, accuracy and precision data in the concentration range 0 .5-200 ng/ml of urine. The method was successfully applied to the dete rmination of PEA urinary excretion in Parkinsonian patients after oral administration of the monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) inhibitor, selegili ne.