Verification of drugs and medicines consume by professional drivers using toxicological analysis of oral fluid: development of new analytical methods and prevalence studies

• Grant number: 16/20214-3
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: August 01, 2017
• End date: July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Vilma Leyton
• Grantee: Vilma Leyton
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Heraclito Barbosa de Carvalho ; Julia Maria D'Andrea Greve ; Mauricio Yonamine

Abstract

Traffic accidents are a serious public health problem, particularly in developing countries. In Brazil, one of the leading countries in this type of accident, about 117 people die every day in traffic accidents, generating a cost of approximately R $ 12 billion per year to public funds. Driving under the influence of psychoactive substances such as illicit and some prescribed drugs can significantly increase the risk of road accidents. Although researches show that many psychoactive medications alter user's motor and cognitive skills, Brazilian studies assessing the prevalence of drug use in biological samples of drivers are scarce, and there are no studies on the use of these substances by motorcyclists. Due to the importance of this fact, this project aims to evaluate the prevalence of illicit (cannabinoids, stimulants and amphetamines) and prescribed drugs belonging to the class of antihistamines, antidepressants, muscle relaxants, benzodiazepines and anorectics in oral fluid samples of truck drivers and motorcyclists. For these studies, recent sample preparation techniques, such as eletromembrane extraction and liquid phase microextraction, will be used. These are two green analytical chemistry methodologies, since they enable the separation and preconcentration of analytes in a short period of time with the use of low or no volume of organic solvent. In addition to the technological development of new analytical methods that may be used for future monitoring of drivers, the results will indicate the prevalence of drugs and medicines use by this population, contributing to the development of preventive measures and public policies. These measures will allow the elucidation about the risks of driving under the influence of certain substances and will be essential to reduce the number of accidents. (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)

BOMBANA, HENRIQUE SILVA; DOS SANTOS, MARCELO FILONZI; MUNOZ, DANIEL ROMERO; LEYTON, VILMA. Hollow-fibre liquid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometric determination of amphetamines in whole blood. JOURNAL OF CHROMATOGRAPHY B-ANALYTICAL TECHNOLOGIES IN THE BIOMEDICAL AND LIFE SCIENCES, v. 1139, FEB 15 2020. (16/20214-3, 17/13882-2)