title: Studies on neurosteroids. IX. Characterization of estrogens in rat brains using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
abstract: The characterization of the classical estrogens (estrone, estradiol, estriol) and guaiacol estrogens (2-hydroxyestrone 3-methyl ether, 4-hydroxyestrone 3-methyl ether) in rat brains was performed using gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS-MS). Estrogens were purified from Wistar strain rat brains by some chromatographic pre-treatments, such as solid-phase extraction, preparative thin-layer chromatography or preparative high-performance liquid chromatography. After the derivatization with O-methylhydroxylamine and/or N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide, estrogens were identified by comparison of their chromatographic behavior during GC-MS-MS operating in the product ion scan mode and comparison with the product ion MS spectra of an authentic sample. These evidences suggested that estrogens exist in rat brains as neurosteroids or neuroactive steroids.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Japan.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitamura
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shiroyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yago
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D004967:Estrogens / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens