Assay of antipyrine and its main metabolites 3-hydroxymethylantipyrine, norantipyrine and 4-hydroxyantipyrine in urine.

Two assay methods for antipyrine (AP) and its main metabolites 3-hydroxymethylantipyrine (3-HMA), norantipyrine (NORA) and 4-hydroxyantipyrine (4-HA) in urine samples have been compared. Method I involved a 3 h incubation at 37 degrees C with beta-glucuronidase, whereas method II used acid hydrolysis with 3 M hydrochloric acid to convert NORA glucuronide to the aglycone and 24 h incubation at 37 degrees C with beta-glucuronidase for hydrolysis of 3-HMA and 4-HA glucuronides. The precision of both sample preparation procedures was evaluated by means of HPLC with UV detection. The relative standard deviation (RSD) for the metabolites were considerably greater than 10% with method I. Application of method II, however, led to intra-assay and inter-assay RSD of less than 10%.