Steroids and hypertension. 1--Gas-liquid chromatography and gas chromatography mass spectrometry of 3,15- and 3, 16-dihydroxy-17-oxosteroids.

In order to analyse and quantitate the urinary 16-oxysteroids known or thought to be associated with hypertension, we have established for six 16-oxy-C19 reference steroids the following parameters: elution volume on lipophilic gel columns, gas chromatographic retention data expressed as methylene unit values of trimethylsilyl ether and O-methoxime trimethylsilyl ether derivatives on OV-1 and OV-17 packed columns and on SE-30 capillary column, and mass spectra of these compounds. These reference steroids were: 3 alpha, 16 alpha-dihydroxy-5 alpha-androstan-17-one, 3 alpha, 16 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-androstan-17-one, 3 beta, 16 alpha-dihydroxy-5 alpha-androstan-17-one, 3 beta, 16 alpha-dihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one, 3 beta, 16 beta-dihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one, 3 beta, 17 beta-dihydroxy-5-androsten-16-one and 3 alpha, 15 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-androstan-17-one. The proposed method was shown to be applicable to the specific analysis of 16-oxy-C19-steroids in biological samples since it achieved the selective isolation of these compounds from other steroids and their quantitative elution in a single fraction. The analysis of the urinary steroids of two patients with arterial hypertension demonstrated an elevated rate of 3 beta, 16 alpha-dihydroxy-5-androsten-17-one.