The estimation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid and homo-isovanillic acid in nervous tissue by gas-liquid chromatography and electron capture detection.

1 A gas chromatographic method using electron capture detection is described for the estimation of three acidic metabolites of dopamine, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenylacetic acid (homovanillic acid, HVA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenylacetic acid (homo-isovanillic acid, iso-HVA). The method is based on the formation of the trifluoroacetyl-hexafluoroisopropyl derivatives of the three acids. 2 The method has been applied to the estimation of DOPAC, HVA and iso-HVA in tissues from the central and peripheral nervous systems.