Analytical aspects of marinobufagenin

Marinobufagenin (MBG), a steroid compound belonging to the bufadienolide cardiac inotropes, is a molecule enjoying a growing interest in the early diagnostic of volume expansion-mediated hypertensive states. This endogenous mammalian cardiotonic and natriuretic bufadienolide (characterized by vasoconstrictive activities) inhibits the α1 isoform of Na(+), K(+)-ATPase, implicating it in series of pathophysiological circumstances such as volume-expansion, essential hypertension and preeclampsia. Indeed, the enhanced production of MBG in preeclamptic patients has been confirmed in several studies, leading us to consider MBG as a biomarker for preeclampsia. The main source for MBG is located in the parotid and skin gland secretions of the toad Bufo marinus in which MBG is the major steroid cardiotonic component. This review emphasizes the key role of analytical development for dosage methods of MBG in biofluids, in the emergence of future perspectives in the diagnostic and therapeutic fields of preeclampsia (e.g. to investigate the biosynthetic origin of MBG and to better understand its implications).