Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for the analysis of nitro-arginine in rat plasma and urine

Nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) is an inhibitor of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). We developed a simple, sensitive and reproducible reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method for detection of nitro-arginine (L- and D-enantiomer) in rat plasma and urine. Samples were treated with perchloric acid, neutralized and eluted through a C₈ reversed-phase column with a mobile phase of 18.5 mM heptanesulfonic acid-10% methanol in water, using theophylline as an internal standard. Plasma recovery for both isomers was complete, and the sensitivity limit was 0.5 μg/ml. This method may be used for disposition studies of L-NNA in small animals.