Femtomole analysis of prostaglandin pharmaceuticals

An analytical method is described whereby the major classes of prostaglandins are fully resolved by microcolumn liquid chromatography and detected at the subfemtomole level by laser-induced fluorescence. The prostaglandins are labeled with the fluorescent reagent 4-bromo-methyl-7-methoxycoumarin and are subsequently separated on a high-efficiency fused-silica microcolumn (0.2 mm i.d., 1.06 m length, 150,000 theoretical plates). The optimal chromatographic conditions consist of a 3-micron octadecylsilica packing material and an isocratic mobile phase of 47.6% methanol, 23.8% acetonitrile, and 28.6% water. The prostaglandin derivatives are detected directly on the microcolumn by laser fluorimetry, using a helium/cadmium laser (325 nm, 15 mW) as the excitation source together with a simple filter/photo-multiplier optical detection system. In real sample matrices, the prostaglandin PGF2 alpha is readily quantifiable from the detection limit (0.3 fmol) to the formulation strength of the therapeutic agent Lutalyse (Upjohn), spanning more than six orders of magnitude in concentration. The simplicity and general applicability of the present analytical methodology and instrumentation suggest that this technique can be used to attack a wide variety of biomedically important problems with exceptional sensitivity and selectivity.