[An improved trihydroxyindole method for the determination of urinary catecholamines].

Commercially available columns for ion exchange chromatography were used for the separation of catecholamines in urine. The estimation of catecholamines was performed fluorimetrically by a new trihydroxyindole method. The fluorescence of adrenaline or noradrenaline was enhanced, in comparison with other methods, by the combined application of boric acid, copper-ions, mercaptoethanol and final reacidification. The fluorophores are stable: The loss of fluorescence of adrenolutin amounted to 22% during 180 minutes, and there was no loss of noradrenolutin. For the differentiation of amines, adrenaline was oxidized at pH 2.85 and noradrenaline at pH 7. Precision, accuracy, sensitivity and specifity fulfilled the criteria of analysis. The normal values, determined in a collective of 17 healthy persons, were adrenaline (x +/- s) 44.8 +/- 16.9 nmol/24 h and noradrenaline (x +/- s) 224.0 +/- 68.0 nmol/24h. The simultaneous application of alpha-methyldopa (2 g/day) in 13 patients with primary hypertension did not disturb the fluorimetric estimation of catecholamines.