title: Quantitative determination of unconjugated pterins in urine by gas chromatography/mass fragmentography.
abstract: A gas chromatographic/mass fragmentographic method is described which permits the determination of unconjugated pterins in urine. After the addition of 6,7-dimethylpterin as an internal standard, the acidified urine samples are purified by liquid chromatography on Dowex-50 and Dowex-1 columns. The pterins are then converted to their corresponding trimethylsilyl derivatives and the base peaks of biopterin (m/e 409), neopterin (m/e 409) and 6,7-dimethylpterin (m/e 320) are determined. The method is sensitive and specific and permits the processing of large numbers of samples. By means of this method, the urinary excretion of biopterin and neopterin from 9 healthy subjects has been determined.
mesh_terms: D002849:Chromatography, Gas / Q000379:methods; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D011622:Pterins / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D011622:Pterins