DETERMINATION OF FREE POLYAMINES IN HUMAN BILE BY HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY

1. Polyamines are widely distributed in the body and may have choleste rol-nucleating activity in model bile and human bile. There are only p artial and scant data available on the type of polyamines in human bil e. 2. In this study methods for extraction of free polyamines, benzoyl ation and an h.p.l.c.-based method for the quantitative determination of putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine and spermine in bile are describ ed. The h.p.l.c. methodology was validated and compared with separatio n on t.l.c. after dansylation. 3. The polyamine content of 11 gallblad der bile samples and 11 T-tube bile samples was analysed, all from pat ients with gallstones. Polyamines were found in three out of 11 gallbl adder bile samples and eight out of 11 T-tube bile samples. Putrescine levels were 0.5-287 mumol/l and cadaverine levels were 2.4-645.4 mumo l/l; these were considerably higher than spermine and spermidine level s. 4. As many of these gallstones bile samples were devoid of polyamin es, it is questionable whether polyamines play an important role in ch olesterol nucleation in human bile.