title: A rapid GC-MS method for the determination of dihydrocodeine, codeine, norcodeine, morphine, normorphine and 6-MAM in urine.
abstract: The presence of the heroin metabolite 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM) in urine is used to definitively identify recent heroin abuse. A rapid and sensitive GC-MS method for the simultaneous analysis of codeine, norcodeine, morphine, normorphine and 6-MAM in urine was developed and successfully applied to the analysis of 321 'heroin-positive' urine specimens from individual subjects (identified by the presence of 6-MAM), to provide quantitative urinary opiate excretion data for heroin abusers. The cohort analysed was composed of 238 males (age range 16-53 years) and 83 females (age range 16-50 years). The concentrations of free 6-MAM, morphine and codeine determined in these 321 specimens ranged between 103-246,312, 129-193,600 and 103-519,000 microg/l, respectively. Free norcodeine and normorphine concentrations were found to range between 143-50,200 and 205-149,700 microg/l, respectively. A statistically significant relationship was determined between the subject age and the 6-MAM concentration, possibly indicating opiate tolerance in these individuals.
authors.affiliation: The Regional Laboratory for Toxicology, City Hospital NHS Teaching Trust, Dudley Road, Birmingham B18 7QH, UK. claire.meadway@yahoo.com
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meadway
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Braithwaite
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003061:Codeine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000652:urine*; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009020:Morphine / Q000652:urine*; D009022:Morphine Derivatives / Q000652:urine*; D009294:Narcotics / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D009022:Morphine Derivatives; D009294:Narcotics; C010414:norcodeine; D009020:Morphine; C026979:6-O-monoacetylmorphine; C014481:dihydrocodeine; D003061:Codeine; C010616:normorphine