Abstract
Serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients in coma owing to glutethimide overdose was assayed for glutethimide and associated compounds. The sample was extracted with chloroform and the extract assayed by gas-liquid chromatography on a column of "3% OV-17." Up to six constituents were found in serum in addition to glutethimide, only three of which were ever present in substantial quantity. The peaks seen on gas chromatography were numbered in order of elution. Glutethimide was peak No. 2. Peak No. 1 usually reached a maximum serum concentration in 10 or less hours, as did peak No. 4. Peak No. 3 reached a maximal serum concentration in 10 h or sooner also, but at 20 h the amount had changed little in most patients. Ambre and Fischer [Res. Commun. Pathol. Pharmacol. 4, 307 (1972)] speculate that peak No. 3 plays an important role in maintaining coma. Neither the pattern of change nor the relative concentrations in serum or cerebrospinal fluid on waking support their hypothesis.
Measurement of human serum bile acids by gas–liquid chromatography
