Comparison of a GC Method and Two HPLC Methods for the Determination of p-Hydroxyphenytoin in Urine

Abstract Three chromatographic methods for determining p-hydroxy-phenytoin (p-HPT) in urine were compared: (1) GC with derivatisation of the samples, (2) HPLC after extraction with ethyl acetate and (3) HPLC using a column switching system for direct injection of samples. In all three methods the p-HPT glucuronides were first hydrolysed using concentrated mineral acid at boiling point. For method (1) the acidic hydrolysate was adjusted to pH 7–8.5. Benzenetetrahydrofuran was used for extraction of p-HPT. The extract was evaporated to dryness, taken up in trimethyl-aniliniumhydroxide and injected. For method (2) the acidic hydrolysate was buffered with tri-sodium phosphate. An aliquot of the buffered solution was extracted with ethyl acetate. The extract was evaporated to dryness, taken up in methanol and injected. For method (3) the hydrolysate was diluted with water/acetonitrile (9:1), centrifuged and directly injected onto the pre-column for the sample washing step.