Ion-pair extraction of histamine from biological fluids and tissues for its determination by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

A procedure for the selective ion-pair extraction of histamine from various biological fluids and tissues by using the ion-pairing agent bis(2-ethylhexyl)hydrogen-phosphoric acid has been developed. This procedure enabled routine determination of histamine in plasma, urine and tissue samples of humans and rats by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection using o-phthaldialdehyde.