Fluorescence determination of 5-fluorouracil and 1-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-5-fluorouracil in blood serum by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Fluorescence derivatization of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and 1-(tetrahydro-2-furanyl)-5-fluorouracil (ftorafur, FT) with 4-bromomethyl-7-methoxycoumarin using 18-crown-6 as a catalyst is studied with aim of developing a sensitive and selective liquid chromatographic method. 5-FU and FT form virtually substituted derivatives which possess maxima in their fluorescence emission spectra near 400 nm. These derivatives are separated by thin-layer chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography to confirm the completion of reaction. For the determination of 5-FU and FT in serum, the reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of the derivatives is studied with a C13 column. This chromatography is of importance for the accurate determination of 5-FU and FT, which are, respectively, an important antitumour agent for the treatment of solid tumours in clinical medicine and a masked form of 5-FU generated in vivo.