Simultaneous Detection Of Cocaine Research Articles

Simultaneous Detection of Cocaine and Heroin Use: The First Reported Speedball Case in Turkey

Simultaneous Detection of Cocaine and Heroin Use: The First Reported Speedball Case in Turkey

Cocaine and benzoylecgonine concentrations in fluorinated plasma samples of drivers under suspicion of driving under influence

Due to an in vitro decomposition of cocaine (COC), usually an analytical detection in unstabilized blood taking systems is impossible and for this reason the main metabolite benzoylecgonine (BZE) is determined. In a few regions in Germany the local authorities use systems containing sodium fluoride for taking a blood sample. Caused by inhibition of esterases in the taken sample COC is still detectable in blood samples. Cases of driving under the influence (DUI) with positive findings for COC and/or BZE were evaluated and substance concentrations in plasma were correlated with documented deficiencies in the psycho-physical performance. In 51.5% of all cases positive for cocaine-like substances besides BZE a positive result was also given for COC. If both substances were found (mean COC concentration 0.836 mg/L) the concentration of BZE was significantly higher (mean 0.669 mg/L) compared to cases with a single detection of BE (mean 0.209 mg/L) ( p = 0.001). In 72 cases without any detection of further drugs cocaine users seemed rather excited and stimulated towards intervening police officers, in particular when COC was present in the blood (17.8%). Also in the medical investigation reports a rather stimulative effect (25% vs. 3.6% sedated) was to be registered. Whereas with a sole determination of BZE, a stimulated (19%) as well as a sedated impression (14.9%) was described. Definite concentration–effect relations could not be recognized. Indeed, more peculiarities were to be registered with the simultaneous detection of COC than with a sole BZE determination. The determination of COC and the differences in the BZE concentration can be explained by the fact that the simultaneous detection of both substances is indicative for of a consumption shortly before the blood sampling. A sole detection of BZE is more likely indicative for a consumption already some time ago. Therefore, in the first case one would rather suggest an acute intoxication phase. A determination of BZE without COC is more likely indicative for a transition to the drug-induced exhaustion phase which is also to be expected after the consumption of COC. The absence of COC can be seen within the scope of a validity check as an indication of a possible exhaustion reaction. A use of fluoride stabilized blood sampling systems is advised. This makes it easier to investigate the state of intoxication or to appraise the temporal connection between COC consumption and incident or blood sampling.

The quantitative analysis of heroin, methadone and their metabolites and the simultaneous detection of cocaine, acetylcodeine and their metabolites in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

For a pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic study in opioid tolerant patients, who were treated with heroin in combination with methadone, a liquid chromatographic assay with tandem mass spectrometry detection (LC–MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous determination of heroin, methadone, heroin metabolites 6-monoacetylmorphine, morphine, and morphine-6 and 3-glucuronide and methadone metabolite EMDP. To detect any abuse of substances besides the prescribed opioids the assay was extended with the detection of cocaine, its metabolites benzoylecgonine and norcocaine and illicit heroin adulterants acetylcodeine and codeine. Heroin-d6, morphine-d3, morphine-3-glucuronide-d3 and methadone-d9 were used as internal standards. The sample pre-treatment consisted of solid phase extraction using mixed mode sorbent columns (MCX Oasis). Chromatographic separation was performed at 25 °C on a reversed phase Zorbax column with a gradient mobile phase consisting of ammonium formate (pH 4.0) and acetonitrile. The run time was 15 min. MS with relatively mild electrospray ionisation under atmospheric pressure was applied. The triple quadrupole MS was operating in the positive ion mode and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was used for drug quantification. The method was validated over a concentration range of 5–500 ng/mL for all analytes. The total recovery of heroin varied between 86 and 96% and of the heroin metabolites between 76 and 101%. Intra-assay and inter-assay accuracy and precision of all analytes were always within the designated limits (≤20% at lower limit of quantification (LLQ) and ≤15% for other samples). This specific and sensitive assay was successfully applied in pharmacokinetic studies with medically prescribed heroin and toxicological cases.

Simultaneous detection of cocaine and heroin metabolites in urine by solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

The present paper reports a method for the simultaneous extraction of cocaine, heroin and their metabolites from small amounts of urine (0.5 ml), using deuterated internal standards. Solid-phase extraction (SPE) on C18 columns followed by chromatographic separation coupled with mass spectrometry allowed the detection of all the substances after their derivatization. Mass spectrometry was performed in the electron-impact selected-ion monitoring (EI-SIM) mode. The limit of detection was found to be as low as 50 ng/ml for all the analytes; for reproducibility the C.V. was always better than 7%; the method was found to be linear with correlation coefficients between 0.989 and 1.00.