Sensitive method for determination of picogram amounts of epinephrine and other catecholamines in microdissected samples of rat brain using liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

Liquid chromatography with high-sensitivity electrochemical detection has been employed to measure picogram amounts of epinephrine and other catecholamines in microdissected samples of the rat hypothalamus. Tissue catecholamines are purified by solvent extraction; this provides better selectivity and recovery than methods involving alumina. The solvent extraction technique has been modified in order to eliminate its major disadvantage, the presence of electroactive substances separating with catecholamines. Detection limits of below 1 pg allow for analysis of catecholamines including epinephrine in very small brain samples such as micropunches.