Current trends in sample preparation for liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry analysis of catecholamines and...

Catecholamines, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, are essential neurotransmitters and hormones that regulate a wide spectrum of physiological functions, such as stress response, mood, and cardiovascular activity. They are closely associated with various health conditions, making both them and their metabolites of great interest as potential biomarkers for diagnosing and monitoring the treatment of different human diseases. The use of catecholamines and their metabolites in research and clinical practice requires sensitive and accurate determination in various biological matrices, each of which presents unique challenges. In this review, we summarize sample preparation methods for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) determination of catecholamines and their metabolites in the most widely studied biological samples. We compare methods from the literature published between 2000 and the present for LC-MS analysis of urine, blood, brain, cerebrospinal fluid, and microdialysate samples. The methods are discussed concerning the specific properties of individual sample types, with special emphasis on method validation. Future trends in sample preparation procedures are outlined, including mainly microextraction techniques and automation of sample preparation procedures.