A simultaneous quantitative profiling method for
androgens and
prostaglandins using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated to evaluate urinary
androgen and
prostaglandin levels. Solid-phase extraction and liquid-liquid extraction steps were combined during the sample preparation. β-
Glucuronidase/
arylsulfatase was also used in the
enzyme hydrolysis step. Chemical derivatization was performed using
2-hydrazinopyridine for simultaneous determination of
androgen and
prostaglandin in the same ionization mode. The analytes were all separated and measured using multiple reaction monitoring in the positive ion mode within a run time of 22 min. The method was validated, achieving overall recoveries ranging from 81.0 to 102.9% with limits of quantification ranging from 0.01 to 2 ng/mL. The intra-day accuracy and precision ranged from 6.5 to 14.3% and from 77.1 to 106.8%, respectively. The inter-day accuracy and precision ranged from 8.9 to 18.2% and 89.9 to 101.4%, respectively. The linearity was expressed using the correlation coefficient, which was >0.99. The method developed herein was used to investigate the effects of a one-year
finasteride treatment through differences in urinary
androgen and
prostaglandin levels between treated
male pattern baldness patients and normal controls. The urinary
androgen and
prostaglandin levels were not significantly different between the two groups because of the administration of
finasteride. The results confirmed that
finasteride affects
androgens and PGs related to hair regrowth and growth length, and a one-year
finasteride treatment is effective for MPB. The mass spectrometry-based quantitative profiling method used herein for the investigation of
male pattern baldness also holds great potential for the evaluation of
androgens and
prostaglandins associated with the metabolism of various inflammatory diseases.