METHODS FOR URINARY TESTOSTERONE ANALYSIS

Urinary testosterone analysis requires a multistep procedure to achiev e a good degree of sensitivity and specificity in the dosage. Hydrolys is, extraction, purification and quantification are usually performed in sequence, and several options can be chosen for each of them. After introductory remarks on the applications of urinary testosterone meas urement and a short description of the metabolic pathway of the hormon e, an overview of the techniques most commonly used in each step is pr esented. Advantages and disadvantages of each of them are outlined, an d a procedure for urinary testosterone analysis is suggested. The proc edure consists of: enzymatic hydrolysis with Helix pomatia juice, foll owed by solid-phase extraction of hydrolyzed urine by a C-18 cartridge coupled with an NH2 cartridge and high-performance liquid chromatogra phy cleanup of the extract. Then, quantification can be achieved by ga s chromatography or radioimmunoassay.