Simultaneous determination of 15 steroids in rat blood via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to evaluate the impact of emasculation on adrenal

Adrenal was believed to affect the prostate tumor tissue growth by its secretion of adrenal androgens. However, the mechanisms regulating these effects were not fully understood. In this work, a sensitive and specific method for the determination of 15 steroids in blood via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in selective ion storage detection mode was established to evaluate the impact of emasculation on adrenal steroids metabolism. Steroids were isolated by solid-phase extraction using Oasis HLB cartridge, and then derivated with heptafluorobutyric anhydride before analysis. The limits of detection were between 0.15 and 1.0 ng/mL and limits of quantification were between 0.62 and 2.6 ng/mL. The recoveries of steroids were above 83%, and both the intra-day and inter-day precisions (RSD%) were lower than 8%. Pregnenolone, progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17αP), 17α-hydroxypregnenolone (17αH), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), estrone, 17β-estradiol, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), testosterone (T), 4-androstenedione (4-A), 1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione, 11-deoxycortisol, 11-deoxycorticosterone, cortisol and aldosterone were quantified in 156 major male SD rats at 0, 1, 2, 4, 7 days, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 weeks following emasculation. T and DHT decreased by 86.2% and 73.4%, respectively in the first 7 days following emasculation, but adrenal androgens (DHEA, 4-A) stabled at the normal level accordingly. Adrenal androgens and their precursors (17αH, 17αP) increased from the 2nd week along with the increase of androgens and the decrease of mineralocorticoids. These facts revealed that adrenal possibly enhanced its function of producing adrenal androgens from the 2nd week responding to the low androgens level induced by emasculation.     

Simultaneous measurements of endogenous and deuterium-labelled tracer variants of androstenedione and testosterone by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A capillary gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method for the simultaneous determination of androstenedione and testosterone in human plasma using [19,19,19-2H3]androstenedione and [19,19,19-2H3]testosterone as internal standards is described. For calculation of plasma androstenedione and testosterone, peak heights were measured by selected-ion monitoring of the molecular ions of the heptafluorobutyryl derivatives of androstenedione and [2H3]androstenedione (m/z 482 and 485) and of testosterone and [2H3]testosterone (m/z 680 and 683). The isotope dilution method needed no complex corrections for contributions and provides a sensitive and reliable technique with good accuracy, precision and reproducibility.     

Simultaneous determination of anabolic steroids and synthetic hormones in meat by freezing-lipid filtration, solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, zeranol and diethylstilbestrol including estradiol metabolites were determined simultaneously in meat. Extraction of growth hormones was carried out by ultasonication using a methanol-water mixture. The growth hormones in the meat extract can be effectively separated from lipids by freezing-lipid filtration, followed by C8-solid phase extraction (SPE). During freezing-lipid filtration, about 90% of lipids are removed without any significant loss of growth hormones. For further clean-up, silica- and aminopropyl-SPE were used. To enhance detection sensitivity, the growth hormones are derivatized with trimethylsilyl reagents. Quantitation using isotope-labelled internal standards was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode. The method detection limits were 0.1-0.4 microg/kg for all growth hormones. Overall recoveries of synthetic and natural growth hormones were 68-106% with coefficients of variation of 5-16% for the complete procedure.     

Simultaneous determination of metapramine and its demethylated metabolites in plasma by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A capillary column gas chromatography--mass fragmentographic method for metapramine and its three major demethylated metabolites is described. Compounds are extracted from plasma using a double-extraction procedure and transformed into N-trifluoroacetyl derivatives. The detection is performed by monitoring specific ions for metapramine and for its metabolites with a mass detector. In spite of extensive metabolism in the liver and rapid elimination of metapramine, plasma concentrations of both metapramine and its metabolites can be simultaneously followed over 24 h after a single 150-mg oral dose, because of the sensitivity and selectivity of the method. This method has been successfully applied to the analysis of samples obtained from patients who were at steady state with metapramine and to a pharmacokinetic study in a healthy volunteer.     

Detection of afobazole and its major metabolites using capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

The possibility of detecting a target compound using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry has been demonstrated and the structure of these compounds has been confirmed. The possibility of sorption of these compounds in the chromatographic system has been analyzed. Results obtained using various sample injection modes have been compared. A highly sensitive method for detecting micromolar amounts of the compounds under investigation in samples with large volumes has been developed. The detection limits of the compounds studied equaled 5 × 10^?10 g in a sample of the model solution.     

Simultaneous analysis of fourteen tertiary amine stimulants in human urine for doping control purposes by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A method for the simultaneous screening and confirmation of the presence of fourteen tertiary amine stimulants in human urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in combination with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) has been developed and validated. Solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) approaches were utilized for the pre-treatment of the urine samples. The study indicated that the capillary temperature played a significant role in the signal abundances of the protonated molecules of cropropamide and crotethamide under positive ion electrospray ionization (ESI) conditions. In addition, comparison studies of two different pre-treatment approaches as well as the two ionization modes were conducted. The LODs of the developed method for all the analytes were lower than the minimum required performance limit (MRPL) as set forth in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) technical document for laboratories. The human urine sample obtained after oral administration of prolintane·HCl was successfully analyzed by the developed method, which demonstrated the applicability and reliability of the method for routine doping control analysis.     

Clinical applications of gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of steroids.

This review article underlines the importance of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for determination of steroids in man. The use of steroids labelled with stable isotopes as internal standard and subsequent analysis by GC-MS yields up to now the only reliable measurement of steroids in serum. Isotope dilution GC-MS is the reference method for evaluation of routine analysis of serum steroid hormones. GC-MS is an important tool for detection of steroid hormone doping and combined with a combustion furnace and an isotope ratio mass spectrometer the misuse of testosterone by athletes can be discovered. Finally the so called urinary steroid profile by GC and GC-MS is the method of choice for detection of steroid metabolites in health and disease.     

Classification of bacteria by pyrolysis-capillary column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and pattern recognition

Pyrolysis followed by capillary column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry has been applied to the classification of five bacterial species of the genus Flacobacterium. Data were subjected to computerized pattern recognition using the ARTHUR software package. The results indicate that classification potential is greatly improved by the use of mass fragmentography. Other factors such as growth media, harvesting and storage conditions were found to be relatively unimportant.     

The determination of impurities in caprolactam by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) technique has been developed for the determination of impurities in caprolactam. The residual solution of the crude product extracted by benzene was analyzed. A total of 28 compounds in the residual solution were separated. In comparison with the mass spectra obtained with those published in data tables, 24 compounds of the 28 were identified. The possible origination of these impurities was discussed and could be significant in the industrial control of caprolactam.     

Analysis of drug metabolites by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using glass capillary columns

Summary The routine use of glass-capillary columns in a general applications laboratory for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry is discussed. The instrumentation is described with emphasis on the interface between glass capillary columns and the mass spectrometer. Two examples of the analysis of metabolites demonstrate the successful use of this system.     

Separation of fresh tobacco smoke on a packed polar gas chromatographic column prior to on-line analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using a non-polar capillary column.

Gaseous samples of fresh tobacco smoke were injected on to a packed polar column (2,2-oxydipropionitrile) in all-glass chromatographic system. With the aid of a warm syringe, selected fractions were withdrawn from the bottom of the electron capture detector of the packed column for further injection into an efficient non-polar glass capillary column (SF-96), connectable on-line to a mass spectrometer. The method has permitted the separation and identification of some polar and non-polar components of tobacco smoke, which gave previously mixed, broad, tailing peaks when the smoke was injected directly into a non-polar capillary column.     

Fatty acid composition of human erythrocyte membranes by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Capillary gas chromatographic and gas chromatographic--mass spectrometric methods were employed for profiling total fatty acid content of human erythrocyte membranes. The protocol was designed to efficiently separate, identify, and accurately quantify the fatty acid composition in human erythrocyte membranes. Washed erythrocyte "ghosts" were saponified in aqueous methanolic sodium hydroxide solution and methylated with boron trichloride and acid catalysis. Extracted total fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) were analyzed using a highly polar cyanopropylsiloxane SP 2560 fused-silica capillary column. Total run time was 55 min, and 45 FAMEs were tentatively identified by relative retention times compared to those of known FAMEs. Confirmation of identities by mass spectral structure elucidation revealed saturated, mono- and polyunsaturated, and branched-chain FAMEs. The presence of four fatty aldehydes was also confirmed as dimethyl acetal derivatives. Identification of cis/trans isomers was based on relative retention times and characteristic profile of the cis/trans FAME standard. Quantification of FAMEs for normal subjects showed some variation in relative amounts, consistent with expectations based on literature reports on total or phospholipid FAMEs from human erythrocytes. Separation of individual components of fatty acid families (n-3), (n-6), and (n-9) is demonstrated. Losses in relative amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids upon storing samples were also detectable by this rapid method.     

Determination of pyrethroid metabolites in human urine by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Summary An analytical method for the simultaneous determination of the pyrethroid metabolites cis and trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid, cis 3-(2,2-dibromovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane carboxylic acid, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid and 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid in human urine samples is described. The urine is subjected to acid-induced hydrolysis followed by exhaustive solvent extraction, covering both conjugated and free acids, followed by a common derivatisation step yielding the corresponding methyl esters. Quantitation was by diastereomeric, capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. It appears that 4-fluoro-3-phenoxybenzoic acid is a characteristic urinary marker for cyfluthrin exposure. The limits of determination are 0.5–1.0 g L^–1 urine depending on the metabolites concerned. The applicability of the method was tested on urine samples from pest control operators exposed occupationally to cypermethrin and cyfluthrin.     

气相色谱-质谱法同时快速测定血清中5种剧毒灭鼠剂

建立了同时快速测定血清样品中毒鼠强、氟乙酰胺、氟乙酸钠、甘氟Ⅰ与甘氟Ⅱ 5种灭鼠剂的气相色谱-质谱联用法。在pH 2.0条件下,以N,N-二乙基对苯二胺为衍生剂,N,N'-二环己基碳二亚胺为催化剂,氟乙酸钠在室温下振荡衍生5 min,衍生物与毒鼠强、氟乙酰胺、甘氟Ⅰ、甘氟Ⅱ一并被乙酸乙酯萃取,经50 ℃下氮吹浓缩后用气相色谱-质谱同时测定,采用选择离子监测(SIM)模式,基质标准外标法定量。方法选用SLB-IL59离子液体毛细管柱(30 m×0.25 mm×0.20 μm,最高温度:300 ℃),流速1.0 mL/min,经程序升温在15 min内成功地分离了5种灭鼠剂。结果显示,血清中氟乙酰胺的线性范围为0.02~2.0 mg/L,毒鼠强的线性范围为0.02~10 mg/L,其他目标物的线性范围为0.01~1.0 mg/L;检出限为0.001~0.002 mg/L (S/N=3),相关系数R²>0.995。在3个加标水平下,方法加标回收率介于84.0%和110.0%之间,相对标准偏差(n=6)介于2.9%和7.5%之间。方法操作简便、准确,灵敏度高,适于中毒病人的快速诊断检测。     

Analysis of melatonin, 5-methoxytryptophol and 5-methoxyindoleacetic acid in the pineal gland and retina of hamster by capillary column gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

A specific capillary column gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method was used to determine 5-methoxyindoles in the pineal gland and retina of the golden hamster during a light-dark (14:10) cycle. In the pineal gland, the mean levels of melatonin ranged from 0.15 to 2.4 pmol per gland, with a maximum in the dark. The levels of 5-methoxytryptophol and 5-methoxyindoleacetic acid were in the same range, but peaked during light. In the retina the levels of melatonin were about 100 pmol/g, and seemed not to differ between light and dark. The level of 5-methoxyindoleacetic acid were in the same range during light but were below the detection limit during dark.