The analysis of indolic tryptophan metabolites in human urine. Thin-layer chromatography and in situ quantitation
Byrd, D.J.; Kochen, W.; Idzko, D.; Knorr, E.
Journal of Chromatography 94: 85-106
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0021-9673 PMID: 4844607 Document Number: 78961
Urine was extracted with ether under alkaline and acid conditions; tryptophan metabolites in the extracts were separated by thin-layer chromatography and stained with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde. Urine from normal subjects given tryptophan by mouth contained indole-3-carboxylic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid, tryptophan, indican and occasionally indole-3-acetomide. Excretion of indican and indole-3-acetic acid reported in the literature was 10 to 20 times that found here, suggesting that unspecific methods has been used.