Gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric determination of myo-inositol in human cerebrospinal fluid.

The concentration of free myo-inositol in CSF was determined with a gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method using deuterated myo-inositol as an internal standard after conversion to the hexa-O-acetyl derivative with acetic anhydride and pyridine. Twenty microliters of CSF is sufficient for the analysis which has a coefficient of variation of 9%. Identical analytical results were obtained on two different mass numbers. Schizophrenic patients were compared with healthy control persons. In addition, patients with rheumatoid arthritis or with neurological illnesses were studied. No consistent differences related to the illness could be found. The mean concentration of myo-inositol was about 25 micrograms/ml. Treatment of schizophrenic patients with chlorpromazine or sulpiride had no significant effect on the concentration of myo-inositol in CSF.