Thin-layer chromatographic determination of indolic tryptophan metabolites in human urine using Sep-Pak C18 extraction.
Tryptophan and some of its indole metabolites were separated by thin-layer chromatography, stained with the Van Urk--Salkowski reagent, and quantitated by scanning densitometry. The application of this technique for the detection of the indoles in urine samples, employing Sep-Pak C18 cartridges for extraction, was demonstrated. The proposed method is simple and accurate. The detection limits were 2 micrograms/ml 5-hydroxytryptophan, 1.75 micrograms/ml 5-hydroxyindolyl-3-acetic acid, 1.5 micrograms/ml tryptophan, 0.8 micrograms/ml indolyl-3-acetic acid, 0.9 micrograms/ml indolyl-3-butyric acid, 1.75 micrograms/ml serotonin, and 1.25 micrograms/ml tryptamine.
D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000652:urine*; D008832:Microchemistry; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000652:urine*
D007211:Indoles; D014364:Tryptophan