Determination of 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid in human serum using the fully automated ALCA-system

We report a method for the determination of 18 beta-glycyrrhetinic acid (glycyrrhetinic acid) in human serum using the ALCA-system. The technology of the ALCA-system is based on the principles of adsorptive and desorptive processes between liquid and solid phases. The assay is run fully automated and selective. Procedural losses throughout the analysis are negligible, thereby allowing for external calibration. The calibration curve is linear up to 10 mg/l and concentrations as low as 10 micrograms/l are detectable. CV is 2.5% for within- and 7.5% for between-assay precision at a level of 50 micrograms/l and 1.2% for within- and 8.5% for between-assay precision at a level of 500 micrograms/l. Specific and expensive reagents are not necessary and time-consuming manual operations are not involved. This assay can be selected from a wide spectrum of methods at any time. Thus, the present method is well-suited for drug monitoring purposes in the routine laboratory. In a pharmacokinetic study we measured serum levels of glycyrrhetinic acid in ten healthy young volunteers after ingestion of 500 mg glycyrrhetinic acid. Maximum levels of glycyrrhetinic acid were 6.3 mg/l 2 to 4 hours after ingestion. Twenty-four (24) hours after ingestion seven probands still had glycyrrhetinic acid levels above the detection limit with a mean level of 0.33 mg/l.