HPLC-FLUORESCENCE DETERMINATION OF BILE-ACIDS IN PHARMACEUTICALS AND BILE AFTER DERIVATIZATION WITH 2-BROMOACETYL-6-METHOXYNAPHTHALENE

2-Bromoacetyl-6-methoxynaphthalene was used as a pre-chromatographic f luorescent labelling reagent for the high-performance liquid chromatog raphic (HPLC) analysis of bile acids. The derivatization reaction was Performed in an aqueous medium in the presence of tetrahexylammonium b romide by ultrasonication at 40-degrees-C to give fluorescent esters w hich were separated by reversed-phase HPLC and detected fluorimetrical ly (lambda(ex) = 300 nm, lambda(cm) = 460 nm). Applications to the det ermination of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and chenodeoxycholic acid (C DCA) in their pharmaceutical formulations are described. The method wa s also applied to the determination of free and conjugated bile acids in human bile samples.