Structural and concentration effects on the deposition of tricyclic antidepressants in human hair.
In order to elucidate the possibility of a long-term compliance analysis the hair samples of 56 patients, who were under a permanent treatment with tricyclic antidepressants, were analyzed for amitriptyline, clomipramine, doxepine, imipramine and maprotiline as well as their nor-metabolites. The hair concentrations varied between 0.4 and 40 ng/mg with no strong difference between the five drugs. In comparison to the therapeutic plasma levels described in literature the nor-metabolites always accumulate less in hair than drugs. No correlation was found between the hair concentration and the daily dose. The investigation of the full hair length in 3-cm sections for several examples of all five drugs shows that they can be detected in normally kept hair at least 1 year after intake.
Pragst
F
F
Institute of Forensic Medicine, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany.
Rothe
M
M
Hunger
J
J
Thor
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006197:Hair / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic