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A simplified fluorimetric method for corticosterone estimation in rat serum, tissues and mitochondria
Surendra S Katyare1, Jignesh D Pandya
1Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, M. S. University of Baroda, Vadodara, Gujarat 390 002, India. sskatyare_msu2001@yahoo.com
Indian Journal of Biochemistry & Biophysics
|August 9, 2013
Summary
A new, simplified method efficiently extracts corticosterone from rat samples. This improved technique offers higher recovery rates and reveals significant corticosterone levels in tissues and mitochondria.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Endocrinology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Corticosterone is a key glucocorticoid hormone.
- Accurate measurement of corticosterone is crucial for physiological and pathological studies.
- Existing extraction methods for corticosterone can be inefficient and yield variable results.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simplified and more efficient procedure for the extraction and estimation of corticosterone.
- To compare the recovery rates of the new method with existing procedures.
- To quantify corticosterone levels in rat serum, various tissues, and mitochondria.
Main Methods:
- A simplified extraction procedure using a chloroform: methanol mixture (2:1, v/v) was developed.
- Direct extraction of corticosterone from diluted rat serum, tissue homogenates, and isolated mitochondria.
- Quantification of extracted corticosterone was performed.
Main Results:
- The new method achieved almost quantitative recoveries (≥90%).
- This is a significant improvement over previous methods, which yielded recoveries of 65-81% with variable results.
- Significantly higher concentrations of corticosterone were found in liver, brain, heart tissues, and mitochondria compared to serum.
Conclusions:
- The developed simplified procedure offers a highly efficient and reliable method for corticosterone extraction and estimation.
- The presence of substantial corticosterone levels within mitochondria suggests a potential role in regulating mitochondrial gene expression and/or turnover.
