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Updated: May 14, 2026
A Rapid and Specific Microplate Assay for the Determination of Intra- and Extracellular Ascorbate in Cultured Cells
Published on: April 11, 2014
Rapid, sensitive and simultaneous determination of ascorbic and uric acids in human plasma by ion-exclusion HPLC-UV
Rita Ferin1, Maria Leonor Pavão, José Baptista
1Department of Technological Sciences and Development, University of the Azores, Rua da Mãe de Deus, 9501-801 Ponta Delgada, Azores, Portugal. rborges@uac.pt
Objectives:
Ascorbic (AA) and uric (UA) acids act as antioxidants and are capable to react with biologically relevant oxidants. We aimed to developed a simple, rapid, sensitive, and accurate ion-exclusion HPLC-UV methodology for the simultaneously determination of AA and UA in human plasma.
Methods:
Analytical pre-requisites, such as the use of heparin as an anticoagulant and meta-phosphoric acid as a stabilizer were added for accurate and reliable measurements. Chromatographic separation was achieved by an isocratic elution on a HEMA-BIO 1000 SB analytical column using a phosphate buffer, pH 2.4, as a mobile phase.
Results:
Results indicated an excellent linearity with correlation coefficients (r(2))≥0.999. The LOD of AA and UA was 1.02 and 1.42nmol/mL, respectively, while LOQ ranged from 0.306 to 0.426nmol/mL. A great repeatability for both antioxidants was found, where the CV (%) values for intra-day were lower than 1.8% and under 6.5% for the inter-day assay. The recovery of AA ranged from 92% to 96% and from 99% to 100% for UA.
Conclusion:
This validated method allows the determination of both antioxidants within 10min, and is well suited to routine measurements and/or high-throughput clinical analysis. The methodology was applied to assess the antioxidant status of a group of Azorean subjects.
