title: Analysis of buprenorphine in urine specimens.
abstract: The simultaneous determination of buprenorphine (Temgesic) and its major metabolite, N-desalkylbuprenorphine, in urine samples has been studied. By using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with electrochemical detection, therapeutic concentrations of unconjugated buprenorphine down to 0.2 ng/mL, and 0.15 ng/mL for the metabolite, can be detected in urine samples. This method has been applied to a variety of urine samples from drug users. The possible analytical interference from several other regulated drugs has been studied. The results were also compared with those obtained from a commercial radioimmunoassay (RIA) test. This test is only capable of detecting buprenorphine concentrations higher than 1 ng/mL.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Toxicology, University of Louvain, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Debrabandere
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Boven
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Daenens
mesh_terms: D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004563:Electrochemistry; D006801:Humans; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D002047:Buprenorphine; C043585:norbuprenorphine