ANALYSIS OF BIOGENIC-AMINES IN PLASMA OF HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS AND A CONTROL-GROUP

Procedures were developed for the determination of 17 circulating amin es using gas chromatography-negative ion chemical ionisation mass spec trometry. The amines were quantified against their appropriate deutera ted isotopomers. The mean concentrations and ranges of catecholamines and trace amines were high compared with previous studies. In comparis on with nonhypertensives, plasma from hypertensives had higher concent rations of the following amines: noradrenaline (t = 4.0%); normetaneph rine (t = 6.1%) and metanephrine (t = 1.9%). There were no significant differences between 5HT levels in plasma from hypertensives and contr ols. The following trace amines could be detected in variable amounts in plasma: p-tyramine, m-tyramine, p-octopamine, m-octopamine, p-synep hrine, m-synephrine, and salsolinol. The trace amines melatonin, N-ace tyl 5HT, tryptamine, 6-hydroxymelatonin and 5-methoxytryptamine could not be detected in plasma with limits of detection lying in the range 20-100 pg ml-1.