Use of high-performance liquid chromatography in the measurement of in vitro acetylation in man.

Liquid chromatographic methods were developed for the study of the in vitro acetylation of the sulphonamide drug sulphamethazine and a series of aniline derivatives. The sensitivity of the methods have allowed data on the activity of the N-acetyltransferase enzyme(s) in man to be obtained. The use of bonded-phase columns with a series of organic mobile phases has been compared with reversed-phase separation of the acetanilide derivatives, produced in the acetylation reaction.