Simultaneous toxicological analysis of amphetamines and benzodiazepines in hair samples

• Grant number: 10/10317-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: March 01, 2011 - February 28, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Pharmacy - Toxicological Analysis
• Principal Investigator: Mauricio Yonamine
• Grantee: Mauricio Yonamine
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Lorena Do Nascimento Pantaleão

Abstract

Simultaneous toxicological analysis of amphetamines and benzodiazepines in hair samples Amphetamines are a class of compounds with chemical structures similar to phenylethylamines and are central nervous system stimulants. Besides anorectic drugs such as fenproporex and diethylpropion, in this class, are also included some illicit drugs as methamphetamine (ice, speed) and methylenedioxymetamphetamine (MDMA, ecstasy). These substances have a high potential for abuse, and they can be used by various social groups, i.e. professional drivers (who call them "rebites"), students, young people (using ecstasy in "rave" parties) and people who abuses anorectics to weight control. Interestingly, there is also a possibility of some people using anorectics and benzodiazepines in association. Although this association of drugs is forbidden in Brazil, it is known that some people who take anorectics use this way to control the insomnia caused by amphetamines. Another case of concomitant use would be professional drivers, who use "rebites", also trying to control their sleep cycles using benzodiazepines. Because of this situation, it could be a concern to monitor the use of these drugs by toxicological analysis. The conventional toxicological analyses (performed in most cases in blood and urine) generally provide a small detection window, in which intermittent use could not be detected. When long term information or drug use pattern are needed for investigation, the most efficient matrix to analyze is hair. There are a lot of methods for identification of several psychoactive substances in hair. However, the amount of available sample can be a limiting factor, especially in the cases where several substances have a toxicological interest. Thus, in the recent years, there is an increasing interest in simultaneous analysis of several classes of drugs in one single sample. In this project, analytical methods will be developed for the simultaneous detection of amphetamines (amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDMA, MDA, fenproporex and diethylpropion) and benzodiazepines (diazepam, nordiazepam, chlordiazepoxide, oxazepam and clonazepam) in hair samples. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and liquid-phase microextration (LPME) are recent sample preparation techniques that will be used for analysis. The analytes will be identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS). After the development and validation of the methods, the analysis will be applied in hair samples of patients from drug rehabilitation clinics who have history of frequent use of these drugs. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

PANTALEAO, LORENA DO NASCIMENTO; PASSOS BISMARA PARANHOS, BEATRIZ APARECIDA; YONAMINE, MAURICIO. Hollow-fiber liquid-phase microextraction of amphetamine-type stimulants in human hair samples. Journal of Chromatography A, v. 1254, p. 1-7, SEP 7 2012. (10/10317-3, 10/03342-1)