Analytical method development for simultaneous analysis of p-cresol and guanidino compounds in serum of dogs

Author(s)

Diego Borba dos Santos

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Carlos.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Química de São Carlos (IQSC/BT)
• Defense date: 2014-12-19

Examining board members

Álvaro José dos Santos Neto; Maurício Yonamine

• Advisor: Álvaro José dos Santos Neto

Abstract

Para-cresol (4-methylphenol) and guanidino compounds are involved in a series of biochemical and physiological cycles. Under ordinary conditions, these compounds are excreted from the body by healthy kidneys. However, in uremic patients, the concentration of these compounds is highly increased in biological fluids and tissues and is of hard removal, increasing the mortality rate in dialysis patients. Gas chromatography (GC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are the most used techniques for separation and quantification of p-cresol and guanidino compounds. For the guanidines determination, derivatizing reactions are usually employed to enhance the absorbance, fluorescence or volatility of these compounds, allowing the quantification. Ninhydrin is one of the most used reagents for derivatization because it shows high sensitivity and presents water solubility. The procedure employed for the derivatization reaction is simple, allowing the automation of sample preparation system, when it is required. There are few studies quantifying the concentration of guanidino compounds and p-cresol in blood of uremic dogs, therefore, a better understanding of the role of these compounds in the metabolism of dogs are needed. For this reason, it is important to develop an analytical method for the quantification of these compounds in dog\'s blood. The development of a method for simultaneous determination of these compounds, which is not reported in the literature, can improve the analytical productivity, decreasing the time spent with sample preparation and analysis. Here, a method based in reversed-phase HPLC for simultaneous quantification of guanidino compounds and free p-cresol in plasma of uremic dogs with fluorescence detection was developed, validated and applied. For this purpose, the ninhydrin derivatization reaction was reviewed, characterized by mass spectrometry (MS) and optimized using central composite design (CCD). A total of 63 samples of dog plasma, including healthy and uremic groups, were analyzed. The mean concentration of guanidine, methylguanidine and free p-cresol determined by the validated method, for the uremic group, were higher than the healthy group, alike usual for humans, suggesting a similar metabolic behavior of these compounds in dogs. The obtained method is relatively simple avoiding complex sample preparation and the experimentally designed optimization of the ninhydrin reaction by CCD yielded a gain of area as high as 1000% for the chromatographic peaks. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/20418-7 - Analytical method development for simultaneous analysis of p-cresol and guanidino compounds in serum of dogs
• Grantee: Diego Borba dos Santos
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master