A Method for the Fluorimetric Determination of Adrenaline and Noradrenaline in Tissues.¹

TLDR

The study presents a method to assay small amounts of adrenaline and noradrenaline in tissues. The method extracts catecholamines with perchloric acid, captures them on a Dowex 50 cation‑exchange column, elutes with hydrochloric acid, then quantifies them fluorimetrically after alkali oxidation and rearrangement, distinguishing adrenaline from noradrenaline by their fluorescence activation spectra. Summary.

Abstract

Summary. A method for chemical assay of small amounts of adrenaline and noradrenaline in tissues is described. The catechol amines are extracted with perchloric acid. The extracts are passed through a cation exchange column (Dowex 50) which takes up the catechol amines. Elution of the amines from the column is performed by hydrochloric acid. Estimation of the two amines in the eluates is made fluorimetrically after oxidation and rearrangement in alkali. Differentiation between adrenaline and noradrenaline is performed by utilizing the difference in the activation spectra of the fluoro‐phores.