METABOLISM OF NORADRENALINE IN THE HUMAN*

Abstract

Six adult males were infused with labeled norepinephrine and the urinary catabolites were separated and identified. A procedure is herein described which utilizes a combination of filter paper and ion exchange chromatography to separate the urinary metabolic products of labeled norepinephrine. Sixty-seven [plus or minus] 4% of the infused radioactivity was recovered in the 24 hour urine. The total radioactivity which appeared in the urine was distributed among the various catabolities of norepinephrine as follows: norepinephrine, 4 [plus or minus] 1%; normetepinephrine, 3 [plus or minus] 1%; normetepinephrine conjugate, 19 [plus or minus] 2%; 3-methoxy-4-hydroxymandelic acid, 32 [plus or minus] 3%; 3,4-dihydroxy-mandelic acid, and 5 unidentified fractions, 40%. The 3,4-dihydroxy-manelic acid has been tentatively identified as part of 2 of the unidentified fractions.