Detection of methadone, methadone metabolites, and other illicit drugs of abuse in hair of methadone-treatment subjects.
The disposition of methadone, its metabolites, and other illicit drugs of abuse was investigated in head hair samples collected from heroin users (N = 20) enrolled in an outpatient detoxification study. Hair samples were assayed for methadone, methadone primary metabolite (2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine, EDDP), methadone secondary metabolite (2-ethyl-5-methyl-3,3-diphenylpyrroline, EMDP), cocaine, phencyclidine, heroin, and 6-acetylmorphine. Hair samples were cut, washed, and incubated in methanol. The methanolic hair wash and incubation fractions were purified with solid-phase extraction and assayed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Methadone, methadone metabolites, cocaine, and phencyclidine were assayed quantitatively, and other drugs were measured qualitatively. The number of positive results and the corresponding concentration ranges were as follows: methadone, 0-15.0 ng/mg (N = 18); EDDP, trace (N = 13); EMDP, trace (N = 1); cocaine, 0->40 ng/mg (N = 14); phencyclidine, 0-1.5 ng/mg (N = 2); heroin, positive (N = 3); and 6-acetylmorphine, positive (N = 4). These data suggest that testing hair for methadone, methadone metabolites, and other illicit drugs of abuse may be useful to drug-treatment specialists as a means of verifying drug-use history, monitoring compliance, and providing a broad measure of drug exposure.
Goldberger
B A
BA
Department of Pathology, Immunology, and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville 32610-0275, USA.
Darraj
A G
AG
Caplan
Y H
YH
Cone
E J
EJ
D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D008396:Maryland; D008691:Methadone / Q000032:analysis* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009294:Narcotics / Q000032:analysis* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010045:Outpatients; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation
D013287:Illicit Drugs; D009294:Narcotics; D008691:Methadone