Simultaneous determination of F-beta-alanine and beta-alanine in plasma and urine with dual-column reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

F-beta -Alanine and beta -alanine were detected in plasma and urine samples with fluorescence detection of orthophthaldi-aldehyde derivatives of F-bet a -alanine and beta -alanine after separation with dual-column reversed-pha se HPLC. The detection Limits of F-beta -alanine and beta -alanine in the H PLC system were approximately 0.3 and 0.7 pmol, respectively. The procedure proved to be very reproducible with intra-assay RSDs and inter-assay RSDs being less than 8%. The usefulness of the method was demonstrated by the an alysis of the F-beta -alanine and beta -alanine concentrations in plasma an d urine samples from tumor patients treated with S-l (Tegafur, 5-chloro-2,4 -dihydroxypyridine and potassium oxonate in a molar ratio of 1:0.4:1). (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.