Simultaneous observation of catecholamine, serotonin and their metabolites in incised skin wounds of guinea pig.
In order to examine the vital reaction in wounds, catecholamines, serotonin (5-HT) and their metabolites in the incised skin wounds of guinea pigs were analyzed simultaneously by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using electrochemical detection (ECD). The principal changes in the levels of these compounds in vital wounds were as follows: a considerable decrease in norepinephrine (NE) content was observed 12-24 h after injury which persisted to at least 7 days. 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) decreased slightly for up to 30 min and then showed no significant difference compared with postmortem levels. Epinephrine and dopamine were barely detected by the HPLC-ECD method employed. 5-HT concentrations which showed an increase up to 24 h showed maximum levels 800 microns from the wound edge at 10 and 30 min after injury. 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) was significantly higher than the postmortem level over almost the entire period of these experiments. A 5-HIAA content of at least twice the postmortem level was observed 800 microns from the wound edge of a 10-min-old vital wound. Therefore, 5-HIAA is a likely candidate as a new marker for evaluating the vital reaction in wounds. The vital characteristics of NE, DOPAC, 5-HIAA and 5-HT in 10-min-old wounds persisted for up to 12 h at room temperature after death. These results suggest that the HPLC-ECD method used here is very useful for simultaneous examination of the vital reaction in wounds from the earliest to the later stages of the wound-healing period.
Maeno
Y
Y
Department of Legal Medicine, Nagoya City University Medical School, Japan.
Takabe
F
F
Mori
Y
Y
Iwasa
M
M
Inoue
H
H
D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004563:Electrochemistry; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008297:Male; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000293:injuries*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000378:metabolism
D002395:Catecholamines; D012701:Serotonin