Determination of Acetaldehyde, salsolinol and 6-hydroxy-1-methyl-1,2,3,4- tetrahydro-β-carboline in brains after acute ethanol administration to neonatal rats

Acetaldehyde, salsolinol (Sal), and 6-hydroxy-1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro- β-carboline (6-OH-MTHβC) in neonatal rat brain after acute ethanol treatment were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Free acetaldehyde in rat brain homogenate was derivatized with 2,4- dinitrophenylhydrazine at 60 °C for 15 min. The derivatized product was separated on an octadecylsilane-C₁₈ column (150 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) and detected with HPLC at 360 nm. The method was proved to be simple, sensitive, and reliable. Compared with control, analysis of neonatal rat brain samples revealed a significant difference in the level of acetaldehyde within 24 h of 5.0 g/kg ethanol treatment (P < 0.05). Also the level of Sal and 6-OH-MTHβC was determined by HPLC performed on a HS F5 column (250 mm × 4.6 mm, 5 μm), using Coularray Detector-4 as the electrochemical detector. The results indicated that the levels of Sal and 6-OH-MTHβC in rat brain increased significantly with the elevated level of acetaldehyde after acute alcohol administration. The condensation of acetaldehyde with monoamine neurotransmitters after alcoholism may play an important role in central nervous system dysfunction.