Simultaneous assay of cocaine, heroin and metabolites in hair, plasma, saliva and urine by gas chromatography—mass spectrometry

As part of an ongoing research program on the development of drug detection methodology, we developed an assay for the simultaneous measurement of cocaine, heroin and metabolites in plasma, saliva, urine and hair by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography—mass spectrometry (GC—MS). The analytes that could be measured by this assay were the following: anhydroecgonine methyl ester; ecgonine methyl ester; ecgonine ethyl ester; cocaine; cocaethylene; benzoylecgonine; cocaethylene; norcocaethylene; benzoylnorecgonine; codeine; morphine; norcodeine; 6-acetylmorphine; normorphine; and heroin. Liquid specimens were diluted, filtered and then extracted by SPE. Additional handling steps were necessary for the analysis of hair samples. An initial wash procedure was utilized to remove surface contaminants. Washed hair samples were extracted with methanol overnight at 40°C. Both wash and extract fractions were collected, evaporated and purified by SPE. All extracts were evaporated, derivatized with N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) with 1% trimethylchlorosilane (TMCS) and analyzed by GC—MS. The limit of detection (LOD) for cocaine, heroin and metabolites in biological specimens was approximately 1 ng/ml with the exception of norcodeine, normorphine and benzoylnorecgonine (LOD = 5 ng/ml). The LOD for cocaine, heroin and metabolites in hair was approximately 0.1 ng/mg of hair with the exception of norcodeine (LOD = 0.3 ng/mg) and normorphine and benzoylnorecgonine (LOD = 0.5 ng/mg). Coefficients of variation ranged from 3 to 26.5% in the hair assay. This assay has been successfully utilized in research on the disposition of cocaine, heroin and metabolites in hair, plasma, saliva and urine and in treatment studies.     

Determination of cocaine, norcocaine, benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester in rat plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection

An isocratic high-performance liquid chromatographic method with ultraviolet detection at 235 nm is described for the determination of cocaine and its metabolites benzoylecgonine, norcocaine and ecgonine methyl ester in rat plasma, collected during toxicity studies. Following simultaneous solid-phase extraction of all analytes and the internal standard tropacocaine, cocaine, benzoylecgonine and norcocaine were separated on a C₁₈ column. Ecgonine methyl ester and cocaine were separated on coupled cyanopropyl and silica columns, following derivatization of ecgonine methyl ester to p-fluorococaine. The extraction efficiencies of these compounds from plasma ranged from 78 to 87%, while the limits of detection ranged from 35 to 90 ng/ml. The assay was linear from 300 to 5000 ng/ml, and the within-day precision 2 to 8% over this concentration range.     

Degradation of cocaine by a mixed culture of Pseudomonas fluorescens MBER and Comamonas acidovorans MBLF.

A mixed culture that could utilize cocaine as the sole source of carbon and energy for growth was isolated by selective enrichment. The individual microorganisms within this mixed culture were identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens (termed MBER) and Comamonas acidovorans (termed MBLF). Each microorganism was shown to be unable to grow to any appreciable extent on 10 mM cocaine in the absence of the other. C. acidovorans MBLF was found to possess an inducible cocaine esterase which catalyzed the hydrolysis of cocaine to ecgonine methyl ester and benzoate. C. acidovorans was capable of growth on benzoate at concentrations below 5 mM but was unable to metabolize ecgonine methyl ester. P. fluorescens MBER was capable of growth on either benzoate as the sole source of carbon or ecgonine methyl ester as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. P. fluorescens MBER was found to initiate the degradation of ecgonine methyl ester via ecgonine, pseudoecgonine, and pseudoecgonyl-coenzyme A. Subcellular studies resulted in the identification of an ecgonine methyl esterase, an ecgonine epimerase, and a pseudoecgonyl-coenzyme A synthetase which were induced by growth on ecgonine methyl ester or ecgonine. Further metabolism of the ecgonine moiety is postulated to involve nitrogen debridging, with the production of carbonyl-containing intermediates.     

Determination of cocaine, its metabolites, pyrolysis products, and ethanol adducts in postmortem fluids and tissues using Zymark automated solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Demonstrating the presence or absence of cocaine (COC) and COC-related molecules in postmortem fluids and/or tissues can have serious legal consequences and may help determine the cause of impairment and/or death. We have developed a simple method for the simultaneous determination of COC and the COC metabolites benzoylecgonine (BE), norbenzoylecgonine (NBE), ecgonine methyl ester (EME), ecgonine (E), and norcocaine (NCOC), as well as anhydroecgonine methyl ester (AEME) (a unique byproduct of COC smoking), cocaethylene (a molecule formed by the concurrent use of COC and ethanol) and their related metabolites, anhydroecgonine (AE), norcocaethylene (NCE), and ecgonine ethyl ester (EEE). This method incorporates a Zymark RapidTrace automated solid-phase extraction (SPE) system, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and 2,2,3,3,3-pentafluoro-1-propanol (PFP)/pentafluoropropionic anhydride (PFPA) derivatives. The lower limits of detection ranged from 0.78 to 12.5 ng/mL and the linear dynamic range for most analytes was 0.78-3200 ng/mL. The extraction efficiencies were from 26 to 84% with the exception of anhydroecgonine and ecgonine, which were from 1 to 4%. We applied this method to five aviation fatalities. This method has proven to be simple, robust and accurate for the simultaneous determination of COC and 11 COC metabolites in postmortem fluids and tissues.     

Development and validation of a gas chromatography/ion trap-mass spectrometry method for simultaneous quantification of cocaine and its metabolites benzoylecgonine and norcocaine: application to the study of cocaine metabolism in human primary cultured renal cells

Acute renal failure is a common finding in cocaine abusers. While cocaine metabolism may contribute to its nephrotoxic mechanisms, its pharmacokinetics in kidney cells is hitherto to be clarified. Primary cultures of human proximal tubular cells (HPTCs) provide a well-characterized in vitro model, phenotypically representative of HPTCs in vivo. Thus, the present work describes the first sensitive gas chromatography/ion trap-mass spectrometry (GC/IT-MS) method for measurement of cocaine and its metabolites benzoylecgonine (BE) and norcocaine (NCOC) using a primary culture of HPTCs as cellular matrix, following solid phase extraction (SPE) and derivatization with N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA). The application of this methodology also enables the identification of two other cocaine metabolites: ecgonine methyl ester (EME) and anhydroecgonine methyl ester (AEME). The validation of the method was performed through the evaluation of selectivity, linearity, precision and accuracy, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). Its applicability was demonstrated through the quantification of cocaine, BE and NCOC in primary cultured HPTCs after incubation, at physiological conditions, with 1 mM cocaine for 72 h. The developed GC/IT-MS method was found to be linear (r2 > 0.99). The intra-day precision varied between 3.6% and 13.5% and the values of accuracy between 92.7% and 111.9%. The LOD values for cocaine, BE and NCOC were 0.97±0.09, 0.40±0.04 and 20.89±1.81 ng/mL, respectively, and 3.24±0.30, 1.34±0.14 and 69.62±6.05 ng/mL as LOQ values.     

Quantitative analysis of cocaine and its metabolites in whole blood and urine by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry

AIM: In forensic toxicology it is important to have specific and sensitive analysis for quantification of illicit drugs in biological matrices. This paper describes a quantitative method for determination of cocaine and its major metabolites (ecgonine methyl ester, benzoylecgonine, norcocaine and ethylene cocaine) in whole blood and urine by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry LC/MS/MS. METHOD: The sample pre-treatment (0.20 g) consisted of acid precipitation, followed by centrifugation and solid phase extraction of supernatant using mixed mode sorbent columns (SPEC MP1 Ansys Diag. Inc.). Chromatographic separation was performed at 30 degrees C on a reverse phase Zorbax C18 column with a gradient system consisting of formic acid, water and acetonitrile. The analysis was performed by positive electrospray ionisation with a triple quadropole mass spectrometer operating in multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode. Two MRM transitions of each analyte were established and identification criteria were set up based on the retention time and the ion ratio. The quantification was performed using deuterated internal analytes of cocaine, benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester. The calibration curves of extracted standards were linear over a working range of 0.001-2.00 mg/kg whole blood for all analytes. The limit of quantification was 0.008 mg/kg; the interday precision (measured by relative standard deviation-%RSD) was less than 10% and the accuracy (BIAS) less than 12% for all analytes in whole blood. Urine samples were estimated semi-quantitatively at a cut-off level of 0.15 mg/kg with an interday precision of 15%. CONCLUSION: A liquid chromatography mass spectrometric (LC/MS/MS) method has been developed for confirmation and quantification of cocaine and its metabolites (ecgonine methyl ester, benzoylecgonine, norcocaine and ethylene cocaine) in whole blood and semi-quantitative in urine. The method is specific and sensitive and offers thereby an excellent alternative to other methods such as GC-MS that involves derivatisation.     

Determination of 17 illicit drugs in oral fluid using isotope dilution ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry with three atmospheric pressure ionizations

The collection of oral fluid for drug testing is easy and non-invasive. This study developed a drug testing method using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) in selected-reaction monitoring (SRM) mode. We tested the method on the analysis of four opiates and their metabolites, five amphetamines, flunitrazepam and its two metabolites, and cocaine and its four metabolites in oral fluid. 100-μL samples of oral fluid were diluted with twice the amount of water then spiked with isotope-labeled internal standards. After the samples had undergone high-speed centrifugation for 20 min, we analyzed the supernatant. The recovery of the sample preparation ranged from 81 to 108%. We compared the performance of electrospray ionization (ESI), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI). The ion suppression of most analytes on ESI (28-78%) was lower than that of APCI and APPI. A post-column flow split (5:1) did not reduce the matrix effect on ESI. Direct APPI performed better than dopant-assisted APPI using toluene. ESI, APCI and APPI limits of quantitation mostly ranged from 0.11 to 1.9 ng/mL, 0.02 to 2.2 ng/mL and 0.02 to 2.1 ng/mL, respectively, but were much higher on amphetamine and ecgonine methyl ester (about 2.7-4.7 ng/mL, 8.7-14 ng/mL, and 10-19 ng/mL, respectively). Most of the bias percentages (accuracy) and relative standard deviations (precision) on spiked samples were below 15%. This method greatly simplifies the process of sample preparation and shortens the chromatographic time to only 7.5 min per run and is able to detect analytes at sub-ppb levels.     

Solid-phase micro-extraction-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and headspace-gas chromatography of tetrahydrocannabinol,amphetamine, methamphetamine,cocaine and ethanol in saliva samples

In the present work, a method was developed aiming at the serial detection of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), amphetamine, methamphetamine, cocaine and ethanol in saliva. Saliva samples were submitted to an initial headspace procedure for ethanol determination by gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC-FID). After this step, two consecutive solid-phase micro-extractions (SPME) were carried out: THC was extracted by submersing a polydimethylsiloxane fiber (100 micro m) in the vial for 20 min; amphetamine, methamphetamine and cocaine were subsequently extracted after alkalinization. Derivatization of the amphetamines was carried out directly in the solution by adding 2 micro l of butylchloroformate. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was used to identify the analytes in selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. Confidence parameters of validation of the method were: recovery, linearity, intra- and inter-assay precision as well as limits of detection and quantification of the analytes. The limits of quantification (LOQ) obtained were: ethanol (0.010 g/l); amphetamine (5.0 ng/ml); methamphetamine (0.5 ng/ml); cocaine (5 ng/ml) and THC (5 ng/ml). The method proved to be highly precise (coefficient of variation<8%) for all detected substances.     

Complete reaction cycle of a cocaine catalytic antibody at atomic resolution

Antibody 7A1 hydrolyzes cocaine to produce nonpsychoactive metabolites ecgonine methyl ester and benzoic acid. Crystal structures of 7A1 Fab' and six complexes with substrate cocaine, the transition state analog, products ecgonine methyl ester and benzoic acid together and individually, as well as heptaethylene glycol have been analyzed at 1.5-2.3 angstroms resolution. Here, we present snapshots of the complete cycle of the cocaine hydrolytic reaction at atomic resolution. Significant structural rearrangements occur along the reaction pathway, but they are generally limited to the binding site, including the ligands themselves. Several interacting side chains either change their rotamers or alter their mobility to accommodate the different reaction steps. CDR loop movements (up to 2.3 angstroms) and substantial side chain rearrangements (up to 9 angstroms) alter the shape and size (approximately 320-500 angstroms3) of the antibody active site from "open" to "closed" to "open" for the substrate, transition state, and product states, respectively.     

Determination of cocaine, benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester in plasma by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A combined assay is described for cocaine and its major metabolites, benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester. The method uses electrochemical and ultraviolet detectors in series. A non-silica column is used with high-pH mobile phase. The three compounds are completely separated from other cocaine metabolites. The assay has been suitable for pharmacokinetic studies of cocaine disposition in animal studies.     

Hydrolysis of cocaine in human plasma by cholinesterase.

Hydrolysis of cocaine to ecgonine methyl ester in human plasma is mediated by cholinesterase. Cocaine hydrolysis by plasma is blocked by DFP and eserine and partially inhibited by fluoride. Highly purified cholinesterase from human plasma when diluted to the same benzoylcholine hydrolyzing activity as human plasma, shows the same rate of cocaine hydrolysis as human plasma. There was no detectable enzymatic conversion of cocaine to benzoyl ecgonine in plasma.     

Effect of cocaine and cocaine metabolites on cerebral arteries in vitro

Cocaine has pronounced peripheral vasoconstrictor effects. Despite the short half life of cocaine in the body these effects are relatively long-lived. The role of cocaine metabolites in vasoconstriction attributed to cocaine has not been reported. We evaluated the contractile ability of cocaine and its major metabolites in isolated cat cerebral arteries. The primary cocaine metabolite, benzoylecgonine was a potent contractile agent, causing a 50% decrease in cross sectional area at 10(-5) M. This was less than caused by serotonin, but greater than caused by norepinehrine. Ecgonine and cocaine were less active contractile agents than was benzoylecgonine, and ecgonine methyl ester was a mild relaxant.     

An automated SPE/LC/MS/MS method for the analysis of cocaine and metabolites in whole blood

As laboratories are called upon to develop novel, fast, and sensitive methods, here we present a completely automated method for the analysis of cocaine and its metabolites (benzoylecgonine, ecgonine methyl ester, ecgonine and cocaethylene) from whole blood. This method utilizes an online solid-phase extraction (SPE) with high performance liquid chromatographic separation and tandem mass spectrometric detection. Pretreatment of samples involve only protein precipitation and ultracentrifugation. An efficient online solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure was developed using Hysphere MM anion sorbent. A gradient chromatography method with a Gemini C6-Phenyl (50mmx3.00mm i.d., 5microm) column was used for the complete separation of all components. Analysis was by positive ion mode electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry, using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) to enhance the selectivity and sensitivity of the method. For the analysis, two MRM transitions are monitored for each analyte and one transition is monitored for each internal standard. With a 30-microL sample injection, linearity was analyte dependent but generally fell between 8 and 500ng/mL. The limits of detection (LODs) for the method ranged from 3 to 16ng/mL and the limits of quantitation (LOQs) ranged from 8 to 47ng/mL. The bias and precision were determined using a simple analysis of variance (ANOVA: single factor). The results demonstrate bias as <7%, and %precision as <9% for all components at each QC level.     

Cocaine, norcocaine, ecgonine methylester and benzoylecgonine pharmacokinetics in the rat.

We have compared the pharmacokinetics of bolus dose cocaine administration with that of its three most important metabolites; norcocaine, ecgonine methylester, and benzoylecgonine and assessed whether kinetics are dose dependent at two equimolar doses equivalent to cocaine hydrochloride 2.5 and 5 mg/kg respectively. Forty-nine male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 8 groups to receive i.v. either high (14.7 umol/kg) (HI) or low (7.3 umol/kg) (LO) bolus doses of cocaine or one of its metabolites. Arterial blood samples for cocaine and metabolite analysis were taken repetitively over the next 3 h. Equimolar bolus doses of these congeners showed biexponential plasma concentration decay curves which were fitted to a two compartment model and subjected to noncompartmental analysis. The plasma concentration time profiles were significantly different for the HI and LO doses administered for each congener. The elimination half-lives of cocaine and norcocaine were similar (28-33 min), that for ecgonine methylester (60-71 min) was approximately twice this and for benzoylecgonine was 40-44 min. Cocaine clearance (155-158 ml/kg/min) was found to be in the range found in other rat studies. Ecgonine methylester clearance and benzoylecgonine clearance were found to be one quarter and one eighth of this value respectively. The pharmacokinetic profile of these congeners was not dose dependent when the two doses administered were compared.     

Modulation of the neurotoxic effects of methamphetamine by the selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist U69593

Kappa-opioid receptor agonists prevent alterations in dopamine neurotransmission that occur in response to repeated cocaine administration. The present microdialysis study examined whether administration of the selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist U69593 with methamphetamine prevents alterations in dopamine levels produced by neurotoxic doses of methamphetamine. Swiss Webster mice were injected intraperitoneally with methamphetamine (10.0 mg/kg) or saline, four times in 1 day, at 2-h intervals. Prior to the first and third injection, they received U69593 (0.32 mg/kg s.c.) or vehicle. Microdialysis was conducted 3, 7, or 21 days later. Basal and K+-evoked (60 and 100 mM) dopamine overflow were reduced 3 days after methamphetamine administration. These effects were long-lasting in that they were still apparent 7 and 21 days after methamphetamine treatment. Intrastriatal (5.0 and 50 microM) or systemic (1.0-10.0 mg/kg) administration of methamphetamine increased dopamine concentrations in control animals. In mice preexposed to methamphetamine, methamphetamine-evoked dopamine overflow was reduced. In animals that had received methamphetamine with U69593, basal dopamine levels did not differ from those of vehicle-treated controls. U69593 treatment attenuated the decrease in K+-evoked dopamine produced by prior methamphetamine exposure. The reduction in methamphetamine-evoked dopamine levels was also attenuated. The administration of U69593 alone did not modify basal or stimulus-evoked dopamine levels. These data demonstrate that repeated methamphetamine administration reduces presynaptic dopamine neuronal function in mouse striatum and that co-administration of a selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist with methamphetamine attenuates these effects. U69593 treatment did not modify the hyperthermic effects of methamphetamine, indicating that this kappa-opioid receptor agonist selectively attenuates methamphetamine-induced alterations in dopamine neurotransmission.     

Method development and validation for quantitative determination of methadone enantiomers in human plasma by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry

A high-throughput method for quantitative determination of methadone enantiomers in human plasma was developed and validated by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. The effects of pH and of types and concentrations of mobile-phase modifiers on the enantioselectivity of (R)- and (S)-methadone were investigated on a Chiral-AGP column. A baseline separation of the enantiomers was achieved with a retention time of less than 5 min. Ionization suppression and other matrix effects were evaluated. Morphine, cocaine, 6-monoacetylmorphine, benzoylecgonine and ecgonine methyl ester did not interfere with the performance of the assay. The specificity, linearity, intra- and inter-assay precision and accuracy, and extraction recovery were fully evaluated. The method showed excellent reproducibility (overall coefficient of variance < 8%) and accuracy (overall bias < 2.7%) with a broad linear range. The enantiomers were stable in human plasma after five freeze-thaw cycles, under bench-top storage at room temperature (RT) for 6h, in the extract reconstitution solution at RT for 17 h, and in processed-extracts stored at RT for 142 h. This validated LC/MS/MS assay offers high-throughput and improved specificity, sensitivity, linear range and ruggedness over previously published methods and has been successfully applied to the analysis of clinical samples.     

Simultaneous,quantitative determination of opiates,amphetamines, cocaine and benzoylecgonine in oral fluid by liquid chromatography quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry

A method using liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry is described for the determination of drugs of abuse in oral fluid. The method is able to simultaneously quantify amphetamines (amphetamine, methamphetamine, MDA, MDMA and MDEA), opiates (morphine and codeine), cocaine and benzoylecgonine. Only 200 micro of oral fluid is spent for analysis. The sample preparation is easy and consists of mixed mode phase solid-phase extraction. Reversed-phase chromatography is carried out on a narrow bore phenyl type column at a flow-rate of 0.2 ml/min. A gradient is applied ranging from 6 to 67.6% methanol with ammonium formate (10 mM, pH 5.0) added to the mobile phase. The column effluent was directed into a quadrupole-time-of-flight instrument by electrospray ionization, without the use of a splitter. A validation study was carried out. Recovery ranged from 52.3 to 98.8%, within-day and between-day precision expressed by relative standard deviation were less than 11.9 and 16.8%, respectively, and inaccuracy did not exceed 11.6%. The limit of quantification was 2 ng/ml (0.66 x 10(-5)-1.48 x 10(-5) M) for all compounds. Internal standards were used to generate quadratic calibration curves (r(2)>0.999). The method was applied to real samples obtained from suspected drug users. An interference was observed from the device used to sample the oral fluid, consequently this was excluded from the method which was validated on oral fluid obtained by spitting in a test-tube.     

Human liver cocaine esterases: ethanol-mediated formation of ethylcocaine

A new, pharmacologically active metabolite of cocaine, ethylcocaine, has been reported in individuals after concurrent use of cocaine and ethanol. Formation of ethylcocaine may contribute to the common coabuse of these two drugs and the apparent danger of this practice. We have identified a nonspecific carboxyl-esterase that catalyzes the ethyl transesterification of cocaine to ethylcocaine in the presence of ethanol. In the absence of ethanol, this human liver esterase catalyzes the hydrolysis of cocaine to benzoylecgonine, a metabolite that is inactive as a psychomotor stimulant. A second human liver esterase is also described. This enzyme catalyzes hydrolysis of cocaine to ecgonine methyl ester, also inactive as a stimulant. These two liver esterases may play important roles in regulating the metabolic inactivation of cocaine.     

Content and Distribution of Erythroxylum coca Leaf Alkaloids

Fully expanded leaves of Erythroxylum coca var. coca Lam. (Erythroxylaceae)35-70-d-old were harvested from 21-month-old plants grown undergreenhouse conditions. Each harvested leaf was placed on a plexiglasssilhouette according to its dimensions and divided into fourprimary sections (petiole, base, mid and anterior) and threesubsections (lamina periphery, false mid-rib, and true mid-rib)to determine the distribution and content of hygrine, cuscohygrine,trans-cinnamoylcocaine, cis -cinnamoylcocaine, tropacocaine,tropinone, methyl ecgonine and cocaine. The leaf sub-sectionsand petiole were extracted and analysed for alkaloid content(%) by HPLC (cocaine alkaloid only) gas chromatography and GC/MS.Cocaine, methyl ecgonine and hygrine were highest in the laminaperiphery with a content of 0·48, 0·46 and 0·32%,respectively. Trans-cinnamoylcocaine was pre-eminent of thecinnamoylcocaines and was most abundant in the petiole at acontent of 0·24%. Cis-cinnamoylcocaine, tropinone, cuscohygrineand tropacocaine were ubiquitously distributed throughout theleaf where the average contents were 0·14, 0·004,0·16 and 0·04%, respectively.Copyright 1995, 1999Academic Press Alkaloids, Erythroxylum coca var. coca, E. coca, leaf alkaloids, petiole alkaloids, cocaine, cuscohygrine, methyl ecgonine, hygrine, tropinone, tropacocaine, trans-cinnamoylcocaine, cis-cinnamoylcocaine     

A validated gas chromatographic-electron impact ionization mass spectrometric method for methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methamphetamine and metabolites in oral fluid

An analytical method to simultaneously quantify amphetamine (AMP), methamphetamine (MAMP), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA), 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-methamphetamine (HMMA) and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxy-amphetamine (HMA) in oral fluid is presented. Four hundred microlitres of oral fluid collected via expectoration was extracted by solid phase extraction. GC/MS-EI with selected ion monitoring (SIM) yielded linear curves 5-250 ng/mL for AMP, MAMP, MDMA and MDEA, 5-500 ng/mL for MDA and 25-1,000 ng/mL for HMA and HMMA. Recoveries were greater than 85%, accuracy 87-104%, and precision less than 8.3% coefficient of variation. This assay will be used to investigate distribution of sympathomimetic amines into human oral fluid following controlled drug administration.