Rapid and sensitive determination of beta-phenylethylamine in animal brains by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection.

A reversed phase HPLC method with fluorometric detection for the analysis of beta-phenylethylamine has been developed using p-methoxyphenylethylamine as an internal standard. Two columns, containing 200 microL of Dowex 50-X8 and Amberlite CG-50 respectively, were used to prepare a fraction containing beta-phenylethylamine. The recoveries of beta-phenylethylamine and p-methoxyphenylethylamine were 53.9 +/- 9.4% and 68.1 +/- 12.4%, respectively, and elution profile of p-methoxyphenylethylamine was sufficiently well correlated with that of beta-phenylethylamine. Regional distributions of beta-phenylethylamine in rat and mouse brains were determined. The highest concentrations were found in hypothalamus and hippocampus in both animals.