Annals of Clinical Biochemistry > Volume 46, Number 2 > Pp. 146-148

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Interference of paracetamol (acetaminophen) with a commercially available high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of serotonin leading to falsely low serotonin levels

Albrecht Pfäfflin^1,*, Karsten Müssig^2,* and Erwin Schleicher¹

¹ Department of Internal Medicine IV, Clinical Chemistry Unit, University Hospital of Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Straße 3, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany; ² Department of Internal Medicine IV, Endocrine Unit, University Hospital of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany

Corresponding author: Albrecht Pfäfflin. Email: albrecht.pfaefflin{at}med.uni-tuebingen.de

Serotonin is frequently analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection. However, the accuracy of these methods may be affected by the presence of certain drugs. We describe for the first time the interference of paracetamol in therapeutic dosages in a routine HPLC method for serotonin determination in vivo and in vitro. The retention time coincides with N-methylserotonin used as an internal standard in this method. Erroneous increases of the internal standard will lead, if not recognized and corrected, to falsely low serotonin determinations.

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