1988 Volume 11 Issue 3 Pages 202-205
A rapid method is described for the analysis of amino acids containing in mouse brain by high performance liquid chromatography equipped with a fluorescence detector. Pre-column o-phthaladehyde-2-mercaptoethanol derivatives of the amino acids were injected onto an ODS C-18 column. 5-Amino-n-valeric acid, a non-endogenous amino acid, was used as an internal standard. Separation and elution of amino acid derivatives were achieved by varying the ratio of organic phase by a step gradient. Significant increases in γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamine and glycine levels in the brain were detected 2 h after injection of 800 mg/kg valproic acid (VPA). A high dose administration of VPA was correlated with Reye's syndrome.
