Determination of methionine-enkephalin, norepinephrine, dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (HVA) in brain by high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detector

High-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection is utilized in a procedure for the determination of methionine-enkephalin (MET-ENK), norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (HVA) is same brain tissue samples. The high degree of selectivity and sensitivity (picomole limits for each component) makes this technique directly applicable to extremely small samples. After optimal conditions had been established, the procedure was employed in the determination of MET-ENK, NE, DA, DOPAC and HVA contents in whole brains, 7 discrete brain areas of mice and rats.