β-(3:4-dihydroxyphenyl)ethylamine (hydroxytyramine) in normal human urine

Abstract

By partition chromatography on starch columns of human urine extracts hydroxytyramine, epinephrine and nor-epinephrine were separated and identified. The fractions with R value corresponding with those of hydroxytyramine give a characteristic spot in paper chromatograms and show the same behavior as a hydroxytyramine on colorimetric estimation and biological assay. Hydroxytyramine occurs largely in the free state in urine. The daily output of hydroxytyramine is estimated at 0.1-0.2 mg. and exceeds considerably that of nor- epinephrine and epinephrine.