Hair analysis for abused and therapeutic drugs

In recent years hair has become a fundamental biological specimen, alternative to the usual samples blood and urine, for drug testing in the fields of forensic toxicology, clinical toxicology and clinical chemistry Moreover, hair-testing is now extensively used in workplace testing, as well as, on legal cases, historical research etc This article reviews methodological and practical issues related to the application of hair as a biological indicator of drug use/abuse or of chronic exposure to environmental toxicants Hair structure and the mechanisms of drug incorporation into it are commented The usual preparation and extraction methods as well as the analytical techniques of hair samples are presented and commented on The outcomes of hair analysis have been reviewed for the following categories: drugs of abuse (opiates, cocaine and related, amphetamines, cannabinoids), benzodiazepines, prescribed drugs, pesticides and organic pollutants, doping agents and other drugs or substances Finally, the specific purpose of the hair testing is discussed along with the interpretation of hair analysis results regarding the limitations of the applied procedures

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10915810600683028

Hair as a biological indicator of drug use, drug abuse or chronic exposure to environmental toxicants.

Hair analysis receives a large amount of academic and commercial interest for wide-ranging applications. However, in many instances, especially for elemental or ‘mineral’ analysis, the degree of success of analytical interpretation has been quite minimal with respect to the extent of such endeavors. In this critical review we address the questions surrounding hair analysis with specific intent of discovering what hair concentrations can actually relate to in a biogenic sense. This is done from a chemistry perspective to explain why and how elements are incorporated into hair and their meaning. This includes an overview of variables attributed to altering hair concentrations, such as age, gender, melanin content, and other less reported factors. Hair elemental concentrations are reviewed with regard to morbidity, with specific examples of disease related effects summarized. The application of hair analysis for epidemiology and etiology studies is enforced. A section is dedicated specifically to the area of population studies with regards to mercury, which highlights how endogenous and exogenous incorporation relies on species dependant metabolism and metabolic products. Many of the considerations are relevant to other areas of interest in hair analysis, such as for drug and isotopic analysis. Inclusion of a table of elemental concentrations in hair should act as a valuable reference (298 references).

Hair analysis as a biomonitor for toxicology, disease and health status

This review focuses on possible pitfalls in hair testing procedures. Knowledge of such pitfalls is useful when developing and validating methods, since it can be used to avoid wrong results as well as wrong interpretations of correct results. In recent years, remarkable advances in sensitive and specific analytical techniques have enabled the analysis of drugs in alternative biological specimens such as hair. Modern analytical procedures for the determination of drugs in hair specimens—mainly by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS)—are reviewed and critically discussed. Many tables containing information related to this topic are provided.

Analytical pitfalls in hair testing.

Use of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the determination of methadone and EDDP in human hair by GC–MS

A sensitive and specific method for the quantitative determination of D,t-methadone (MD) and its metabolites, D,L-2-ethyl-l,5dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolinium (EDDP) and D,t-2-ethyl-5methyl-3,3-diphenyl-l-pyrroline (EMDP), in hair has been developed. Deuterated internal standards of MD, EMDP, and EDDP were added to 20-rag hair samples and digested overnight at room temperature with 1N sodium hydroxide. Calibration standards containing known concentrations of MD, EMDP, and EDDP dried onto human hair were also digested. Digest solutions were extracted by a liquid-liquid extraction procedure and

Quantitative analysis of methadone and two major metabolites in hair by positive chemical ionization ion trap mass spectrometry.

Incorporation of Drugs for the Treatment of Substance Abuse into Pigmented and Nonpigmented Hair

The testing of hair for drugs of abuse is gaining popularity primarily due to the possibility that hair concentrations of drugs will reflect drug exposure for a longer period of time than either plasma or urine. Data produced by experimental research, rather than those resulting from anecdotal observations, uncontrolled research, or irrelevant experimental models, will be more likely to prove whether this is true and to determine whether drug concentrations in hair can be accurately interpreted in relation to drug dosage. Experimental observations have established that: (a) parent drug concentrations in hair are generally greater than their metabolites; (b) chemical structure of the drug is important in determining its incorporation into hair; (c) pigmentation of hair plays an important role in determining drug incorporation. Data resulting from models (including animal models, in vitro models, transplantation of human hair onto athymic mice, and human subjects) designed for studying hypotheses concerning the mechanism of drug incorporation into hair are also reviewed.

Pamela R. Nagasawa

Papers

Quantitative analysis of methadone and two major metabolites in hair by positive chemical ionization ion trap mass spectrometry.

Incorporation of Drugs for the Treatment of Substance Abuse into Pigmented and Nonpigmented Hair

Testing for Drugs of Abuse in Hair - Experimental Observations and Indications for Future Research.