Determination of the naturally occurring monoacetyl derivatives of di- and polyamines.

A method is described for the determination of pmol quantities of monoacetylputrescine, N1-acetylspermidine, N8-acetylspermidine and related compounds. The method is based on the derivation of these compounds with 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulphonylchloride, followed by thin-layer chromatographic separation. Cleanup steps allow the application of the method to urine analyses. From the repeated determination of acetylated polyamines in the urine of healthy individuals it can be concluded that these conjugates are the major excretory form of di- and polyamines. The cleanup steps used in this procedure and the method described for the stabilization of 5-dimethylaminonaphthalene-1-sulphonyl derivatives on thin-layer plates are advantageous also for the analyses of total polyamines in urine hydrolysates, and in related applications of the dansylation method.