L. Mason, C. Weinkove
Mar 1, 1983
Citations
0
Influential Citations
12
Citations
Journal
Annals of Clinical Biochemistry
Abstract
Alumina is commonly used for the purification and concentration of catecholamines in biological specimens before analysis. Acid eluates of alumina, found to contain high concentrations of A13+, interfered with O-methylation but not with N-methylation. The chemistry of the catecholamines, supported by kinetic studies, suggest that complex formation between aluminium and the substrate account for the observed inhibition of O-methylation. The addition of desferrioxamine, a metal-chelating agent, to the reaction mixture reversed this inhibition and, by allowing a preliminary alumina extraction, permits the measurement of low concentrations of catecholamines in biological samples.