DIRECT SEPARATION OF TRANYLCYPROMINE ENANTIOMERS AND THEIR PROFILE INAN ATYPICAL DEPRESSIVE PATIENT

An isocratic and simple high-performance liquid chromatographic method is developed for the diirect resolution of the tranylcypromine (TCP) enantiomers, The method involves the use of an S-18-crown-6-ether chir al stationary phase known as the Crownpak CR (+) column. The stereoche mical separation factor (alpha) obtained was 1.30 and the stereochemic al resolution factor (R(s)) was 0.69 when using a mobile phase consist ing of 0.1 N perchloric acid containing 12% methanol at 23 degrees C, The method has been used to monitor and identify, qualitatively, the p rofile of enantiomers of TCP in urine of an atypical depressive patien t. It was found that the (-)-S-TCP concentration is significantly high er than the (+)-R-enantiomer.