Improved detection of leucovorin in mixed folates and antifolates by reversed-phase liquid chromatography and on-line post-column UV irridiation

Summary An improved, reversed-phase, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with dual UV-fluorescence detection for simultaneous determination of the antifolate methotrexate, the folate leucovorin and their two main metabolites 7-hydroxymethotrexate and 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, respectively is presented. The fluorescence intensity of leucovorin could be significantly increased by on-line, post-column irradiation with UV at 254 nm thus lowering the limit of detection for leucovorin to 0.2 ng absolute at a signal-to-noise ratio 31.