Determination of serotonin in rat brain by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
Liang, T.; Huang, Y.; Zhu, K.
Se Pu 16(3): 271-273
1998
ISSN/ISBN: 1000-8713 PMID: 11327010 Document Number: 490940
A GC/MS method for the determination of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) has been developed. 5-HT in homogenized rat brain was acylated and extracted into EtOAc. The acylate was further derivatized with heptafluorbutyl anhydride and formed a spirocyclic pentafluoropropionyl derivative. Subsequent analysis of 5-HT derivative by gas chromatography-electron capture negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry was highly specific and sensitive. The assay is linear from 0.5 to 50 micrograms/L with a linear equation of Y = 0.134 8X - 0.07995, r = 0.999. The recovery was 98.2% +/- 3.8% (n = 10) and the limit of detection was 0.5 microgram/L. The reproducibility of 5-HT determination in rat brain was less than 10% (RSD) at both levels of 1.0 microgram/L and 50.0 micrograms/L. The method has been applied to analysis of 5-HT in the dose rat brain successfully.