Analytical Sciences


Abstract − Analytical Sciences, 15(10), 951 (1999).

Quantitative Determination of Pregnenolone 3-Sulfate in Rat Brains Using Liquid Chromatography/ Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry
Kuniko MITAMURA, Misako YATERA and Kazutake SHIMADA *
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Kanazawa University, Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-0934, Japan
A method for the quantitative determination of pregnenolone 3-sulfate (PS) in rat brains has been developed using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS). The PS fraction was obtained from the rat brain homogenate by solid-phase extraction and ion-exchange chromatography. After the derivatization with 4-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-7-hydrazino-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole, PS was determined using LC/ESI-tandem MS along with the standard addition method. This method was applied to the quantitative determination of this steroid in the brains of Wistar strain rats, most of which showed a much lower amount than that previously reported. (Keywords: Neurosteroid, pregnenolone 3-sulfate, rat brain, LC/MS, derivatization)