Nitrite and nitrate levels in cerebrospinal fluid of normal subjects

In order to evaluate the involvement of nitric oxide in neurologic disorders it is important to generate controlled values of its metabolites nitrite and nitrate in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Samples of CSF obtained from 14 patients without neurologic diseases were analysed for nitrite and nitrate concentration by reverse phase chromatography with ultraviolet (UV) detection. For comparison, the levels of nitrite in the same samples were also measured by reverse phase chromatography coupled with electrochemical detection and those of nitrate by ion chromatography coupled with UV detection. A good correlation was found for the concentration values of both ions obtained with the two procedures. Then, 10.41 +/- 0.47 ng/ml of nitrite and 2.92 +/- 0.37 ng/ml of nitrate could be regarded as reliable values in control subjects. No correlation between age and levels of nitrite and nitrate was observed.