Separation and identification of neutral and acidic metabolites in cerebrospinal fluid.

We describe a method for obtaining profiles of neutral and acidic substances present in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) by gas-liquid chromatography. Metabolites extracted with ethyl acetate and ether are converted to methyl ester, trimethylsilyl ether derivatives. With this technique, acidic metabolites of brain amines, and neutral metabolites of dopamine and norepinephrine have been identified in human CSF. Some of these substances have not been reported previously in CSF. Extracted substances are identified on the basis of their methylene-unit values and mass spectral data. Potential use of this method in neurodiagnosis and in delineating drug-induced changes in CSF metabolites is discussed.