Isolation of aldosterone urinary metabolites, glucuronides and sulfate

A simple method is described for the simultaneous isolation of aldosterone-18-glucuronide and tetrahydroladosterone-glucuronide from the urine of normal subjects following intravenous administration of purified 3H-aldosterone. Using the two isolated conjugates as recovery indicators, the urinary excretion rates of the two compounds determined in normal subjects were within the ranges established by previous investigations. A method is also established for the isolation and estimation of urinary aldosterone sulfate. The mean urinary excretion rate of this compound was 2.09 ± 0.6μg/24 h in normals and 2.83 ± 0.45μg/24 h in patients with benign essential hypertension. In one instance of confirmed primary aldosteronism investigated, the pre-operative urinary aldosterone sulfate was 13.76μg/24 h and the same compound was undetectable in the urine of the patient after sub-total adrenalectomy.