A new fluorometric method for the determination of spermidine and spermine in tissues by thin layer chromatography

A new fluorometric method is described for the rapid, sensitive analysis of spermidine and spermine in animal tissues. The polyamines added with N-3-aminopropylheptane-1, 7-diamine as internal standard were chromatographed on a silica-gel sintered-glass plate in a solvent system of n-BuOH-AcOH-Pyridine-H 2O, and the chromatograms were developed with an acetone solution of fluorescamine. Determination, using a scanning fluorometer, was performed by measuring peak area ratio with respect to the internal standard. The precision and accuracy of the method were established, and the limits of determination were of the order of 100 pmoles.