title: Improved enzymatic hydrolysis of hair.
abstract: An enzymatic hair extraction method is proposed for drug analysis. Pronase digestion of various aliquots of hair from a cocaine abuser was preceded by a 2-h incubation with a dithiothreitol solution. The extraction solution was tested to identify possible interferences in the radioimmunoassay and was compared with other hydrolysis methods to assess the results of extraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Legal Medicine, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Offidani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strano Rossi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chiarotti
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D003042:Cocaine / Q000032:analysis*; D019286:Endopeptidase K; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D011402:Pronase / Q000737:chemistry*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases / Q000737:chemistry*; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D012697:Serine Endopeptidases; D019286:Endopeptidase K; D011402:Pronase; D003042:Cocaine