Abstract
Background: The short chain fatty acid gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a precursor, and the metabolite of gamma-aminobutyric acid is commonly used as an illegal recreational drug of abuse. Methods: An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for endogenous GHB and its glucuronide in nails, to complement hair in forensic contexts for a retrospective detection of psychotropic drugs consumption. Results: GHB endogenous values for children and adolescents, adult females, and adult males in fingernails ranged from 0.3 to 3.0, 3.2, and 3.8 ng/mg, respectively, and toenails values ranged from 0.3 to 1.8, 2.0, and 2.4 ng/mg, respectively. In the three different groups, values of GHB in fingernails were statistically higher than those in toenails. GHB glucuronide could only be detected in finger nails with values ranging from 0.08 to 0.233, 0.252 and 0.243 in children and adolescents, adult females and adult males, respectively. Conclusions: The validated method was efficaciously applied to real finger and toe nails specimens from a population of males and females non GHB consumers. A preliminary cut-off of 5.0 ng/mg nail for endogenous GHB and 0.5 ng/mg for endogenous GHB-Gluc in the general population was proposed.
Highlights
The short chain fatty acid gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a precursor and metabolite of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and behaves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.Its sodium salt, sodium oxybate, is approved as an adjuvant medication for detoxification and withdrawal of alcohol dependence (Alcover® ) in some countries and for the treatment of narcolepsy-associated cataplexy (Xyrem® ) [1].the most common use of GHB is as an illegal recreational “club” drug marketed for its ability to produce euphoria and sexual arousal [2]
The most common use of GHB is as an illegal recreational “club” drug marketed for its ability to produce euphoria and sexual arousal [2]
Cut-offs have been proposed for traditional biological matrices to objectively discriminate exogenous drug consumption from endogenous values in antemortem and post-mortem samples [6]
Summary
The short chain fatty acid gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a precursor and metabolite of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and behaves as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system.Its sodium salt, sodium oxybate, is approved as an adjuvant medication for detoxification and withdrawal of alcohol dependence (Alcover® ) in some countries and for the treatment of narcolepsy-associated cataplexy (Xyrem® ) [1].the most common use of GHB is as an illegal recreational “club” drug marketed for its ability to produce euphoria and sexual arousal [2]. Cut-offs have been proposed for traditional biological matrices (e.g., blood and urine) to objectively discriminate exogenous drug consumption from endogenous values in antemortem and post-mortem samples [6]. In both biological fluids, GHB presents a short window of detection (around 5 h blood and less than 12 h urine) [7,8], so GHB and its glucuronide (GHB-Gluc) have been investigated in hair as potential biomarkers of GHB single and repeated intake [5]. GHB glucuronide could only be detected in finger nails with values ranging from 0.08 to 0.233, 0.252 and 0.243 in children and adolescents, adult females and adult males, respectively. A preliminary cut-off of 5.0 ng/mg nail for endogenous GHB and 0.5 ng/mg for endogenous GHB-Gluc in the general population was proposed
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