A simple method for the separation and quantification of urinary porphyrins

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Analytical Chemistry
• Clinical Chemistry

Background:

• Porphyrins, such as coproporphyrin and uroporphyrin, are important biomarkers in various metabolic disorders.
• Accurate and routine quantification of these urinary porphyrins is crucial for diagnosis and monitoring.
• Existing methods for porphyrin separation and quantification can be complex and time-consuming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a simple, routine method for the separation and quantification of urinary coproporphyrin and uroporphyrin.
• To evaluate the recovery and reproducibility of the proposed method.
• To compare the proposed method with an established method (Rimington's) for urinary porphyrin analysis.

Main Methods:

• Urine samples were processed using ether extraction to remove coproporphyrin.
• Anion-exchange resin columns were employed to isolate uroporphyrin from the aqueous residue.
• The proposed method was validated against Rimington's established method using 15 urine specimens.

Main Results:

• The proposed method demonstrated good correlation with the established method.
• Slightly lower values for coproporphyrin and higher values for uroporphyrin were observed with the proposed method compared to Rimington's.
• The method showed acceptable recovery and reproducibility for routine use.

Conclusions:

• The described anion-exchange resin method provides a simple and effective approach for routine urinary coproporphyrin and uroporphyrin analysis.
• This method offers a practical alternative for clinical laboratories requiring reliable porphyrin quantification.
• The good correlation and relative simplicity support its suitability for widespread adoption in diagnostic settings.