Determination of capsaicin in tissues and separation of capsaicin analogues by high-performance liquid chromatography.
Capsaicin, the pungent principle of chili peppers, and six analogues were characterized by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography using isocratic methanol--water mixtures and UV detection. A highly sensitive method for the quantitative determination of capsaicin in animal tissues and blood has been developed. Using a reversed-phase column and acetonitrile--water mixtures for elution, 3 ng of capsaicin could be measured by fluorimetric detection at an excitation wavelength of 270 nm and an emission wavelength of 330 nm. Acetone extraction of tissue resulted in a recovery of approximately 90%. Extraction and determination of capsaicin in rat brain, spinal cord, liver and blood after i.v. administration is given as an example.
D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000097:blood*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood*; D051381:Rats; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000032:analysis
D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D002211:Capsaicin