- P-ISSN 1225-0163
- E-ISSN 2288-8985
Phytoestrogens are biologically active compounds derived from plants foods. It had been suggested that phytoestrogens, by inhibiting aromatase in peripheral and/or cancer cells and lowering estrogen levels, may play a protective role as antipromotional compounds during growth of estrogen-dependent cancers. Therefore, simultaneous analysis of estrogens and phytoestrogens is necessary to elucidate the possible involvement of phytoestrogens in estrogen metabolism. In this view, we developed a simple and reproducible procedure to quantitatively determine estrogen and phytoestrogen metabolites. The proposed method consisted of solid phase extraction using preconditioned Serdolit AD-2 resin, enzyme hydrolysis with <TEX>${\beta}$</TEX>-glucuronidase/arylsulfatase from Helix pomatia, liquid-liquid extraction and TMS-ether derivatization. And the final determination was carried out by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in selected ion monitoring mode (SIM). The precision and accuracy of this method was evaluated through within-a-day and day-to-day test. Recovery range and detection limit were 71.96~105.66%, 2~4 ng/mL, respectively. Using this method, 17 estrogen and 5 phytoestrogen compositions in urine of normal subjects were analyzed. It was found that amounts and relative distribution of urinary phytoestrigens and estrogens showed different pattern in male and female subjects.