HPLC-Isocratic Study of the Separation and Determination of Phenolphthalein and Its Metabolite, Phenolphthalein-Glucuronic Acid, as Markers of Enterohepatic Circulation

An isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic method for separation and determination of phenolphthalein and its metabolite, phenolphthalein-glucuronide, using bromocresol purple as an internal standard is described. The method uses a mobile phase of 50 mM phosphate buffer (pH 7.7)-methanol (52.5:47.5, v/v), a 3-μm reversed-phase C₁₈ column (50 × 4.6-mm i.d.), a flow rate of 1 ml/min, and UV detector wavelength of 230 nm. The most important variables that can affect the retention of these compounds (i.e., organic modifier concentration, buffer concentration, and pH) were systematically studied. Two different retention orders were observed, depending on buffer concentration and pH. The effects on retention of the addition of triethylamine or acetic acid to the mobile phase are also discussed. This method has been developed for future application to the determination of phenolphthalein and phenolphthalein-glucuronide in biological fluids such as plasma, bile, and urine of rats within a study involving a new model for enterohepatic recirculation and pharmacokinetics.