title: Direct determination of cotinine-N-glucuronide in urine using thermospray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry.
abstract: A thermospray liquid chromatographic/mass spectrometric method has been developed for direct determination of cotinine-N-glucuronide in the urine of smokers. Quantification was performed using methyl-d3-cotinine-N-glucuronide as internal standard and monitoring the protonated aglycons. Using a simple preparation, urine samples from four smokers were analyzed and the results compared favorably with those from a previously reported method that quantifies aglycon release following beta-glucuronidase treatment. Amounts of cotinine-N-glucuronide found in urine from smokers ranged from less than 0.7 to 21 nmol ml-1, indicating wide inter-individual variability in the metabolic production of this metabolite. Cotinine-N-glucuronide was found to be the second most abundant urinary nicotine metabolite. A similar method was developed for trans-3'-hydroxycotinine-N-glucuronide but this compound was not detected in smokers' urine.
authors.affiliation: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, NC 27102.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Byrd
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Uhrig
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: deBethizy
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Caldwell
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Crooks
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ravard
authors.forename: R m
authors.initials: Rm
authors.lastname: Riggs
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid; D003367:Cotinine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D012907:Smoking / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: C075991:cotinine N-glucuronide; D003367:Cotinine