Plasma, urine, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and amniotic fluid were examined to determine whether free D-amino acids were present and if so at what levels. It was found that D-amino acids exist in all physiological fluids tested, but that their level varied considerably. The lowest levels of D-amino acids were usually found in amniotic fluid or CSF (almost always < 1% of the corresponding L-amino acid). The highest levels were found in urine (usually tenth percent to low percent levels). Pipecolic acid seemed to be different from the other amino acids tested in that it was excreted primarily as the D-enantiomer (often > 90%). Correspondingly high levels of D-pipecolic acid were not found in plasma. Some of the trends found in this work seemed to be analogous to those found in a recent rodent study.

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The IBM LC/9533 was a donation to VPI & SU from IBM Instruments, Inc., through their University Gifts program. The financial support of the Department of Energy through Grant DE-FG22-81PC40799 and the Commonwealth of Virginia is appreciated.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the fluorometrlc determination of warfarin and its metabolites (dlastereomerlc warfarin alcohols, and 4'-, 6-, 7-, and 8-hydroxywarfarin) has been developed. The detection scheme utilizes a postcolumn acid-base fluorescence enhancement technique that provides high chromatographic specificity and sensitivity and Is applicable to both human plasma and urine samples. Detection limits are In the low nanogram range.