Chapter 21 Doping substances in human and animal sport

Abstract

Publisher Summary This chapter provides a guide to the separation and detection methods employed in human and animal doping control to detect the misuse of the main groups of prohibited substances: anabolic steroids, stimulants, diuretics, β -adrenergic drugs (agonists and antagonists), anti-inflammatory drugs, peptide hormones, corticosteroids, enhancers of oxygen transfer, and other doping agents. Synthetic anabolic steroids belong to the pharmacological group with major impact on drug abuse in sport. All compounds belonging to this class resemble testosterone in their chemical structure but with a series of modifications that have major impact on the way metabolic enzymes of the human and animal body modify their structures during the biotransformation process. When metabolites of anabolic steroids are free from their conjugates or when nonconjugated metabolites are directly excreted in urine, a simple extraction from the matrix interferences is needed. Synthetic corticosteroids are structural analogs of the endogenous hormone cortisol. They produce strong anti-inflammatory effect and, in consequence, small doses are required to achieve the desired effect.