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Abstract
Sensitive and reproducible analyses were developed for assaying tamoxifen, desmethyltamoxifen, didesmethyltamoxifen and hydroxytamoxifen in human liver microsomes by high performance liquid chromatography (H.P.L.C.) following protein precipitation. Detection was by fluorimetry of phenanthrene derivatives formed by on-stream U.V. irradiation with a photochemical reactor enhanced detection (P.H.R.E.D.) for post-column irradiation of the H.P.L.C. stream. The method is highly sensitive (1 ng/ml). A C8,5 μm column (4.6 x 150 mm) was used, with a mobile phase of acetonitrile / 100 mM ammonium acetate (1:1) pH 5. Precipitation of the microsomal protein was carried out by adding methanol and concentrated chloric acid to the reaction mixture, and extraction efficiencies were approximately 100 % for tamoxifen and its metabolites. The assay has been optimised for the identification and quantitation of the 4-hydroxylated metabolite, as well as the two metabolites formed by N-oxidative demethylation of the side chain. The latter catalytic activity involves cytochrome P450 3A enzymes.
