Enantiomeric separation of amphetamines in human urine by high-performance liquid chromatography to differentiate the intake of (-)-deprenyl in parkinsonian from abuse of methamphetamine

The optical isomers of amphetamine and methamphetamine in the human urine were clearly separated by direct HPLC analysis using a chiral stationary phase. This direct HPLC was applied to the enantiomeric resolution of amphetamines in the methamphetamine abusers' urine and in the Parkinsonian urine after (R)-(-)-deprenyl administration. (S)-(+)-Amphetamine and (S)-(+)-methamphetamine were only detected in the urine from several methamphetamine abusers. On the contrary, (R)-(-)-amphetamine and (R)-(-) -methamphetamine were only detected as metabolites in the Parkinsonian urine treated with (-)-deprenyl. Enantiomer analysis may provide valuable information about the original substrate in the metabolic pathway. This simple and convenient method is suitable for the enantiomeric analysis for forensic purposes.