Studies on steroids. CLXXIX. Determination of estriol 16- and 17-glucuronide in biological fluids by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the determination of estriol 16-glucuronide and 17-glucuronide in bile and urine has been developed. The electrochemical detector was found to be more superior than the UV detector with respect to selectivity and sensitivity and therefore more suitable for the determination of estrogen conjugates in biological fluids. The use of the present method revealed that both estriol 16-glucuronide and 17-glucuronide were excreted in rat bile, while only the former was present in human pregnancy urine.