Accurate and efficient method for quantification of urinary histamine by gas chromatography negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

Because of the recognized inaccuracy and unreliability of currently available methods for the quantification of histamine in biological fluids, a method for quantification of urinary histamine by stable isotope dilution assay with negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry has been developed. Following the addition of [2H4]histamine to 1 ml of urine, histamine is extracted into butanol, back-extracted into HCl, derivatized to the pentafluorobenzyl derivative (CH2C6F5)3-histamine, extracted into methylene chloride, and then quantified with negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry by selected ion monitoring of the ratio of ions m/z430/434. Twenty samples can be assayed in 2 days. Precision of the assay is +/- 2.7% and the accuracy is 97.6%. Lower limits of sensitivity are approximately 100-500 fg injected on-column. This assay provides a very sensitive, accurate, and efficient method for the quantification of histamine in human urine.