Analysis of free porphyrins in biological samples by high performance liquid chromatography.

High performance liquid chromatography has been used to separate and analyse the different free porphyrins in biological materials. The selective determination of uroporphyrin, coproporphyrin, protoporphyrin and hepta, hexa, pentacarboxylic porphyrins, the sensitive and quantitative fluorescence detection contribute to the clinical diagnosis of porphyria.