title: Analysis of methamphetamine and its metabolites in hair.
abstract: Methamphetamine (MA) is a sympathomimetic amine whose abuse has become a serious problem in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and other Southeast Asian countries. The use of hair for the determination of MA use has become more commonplace. The maximum period in which MA and its main metabolites (amphetamine and p-hydroxymethamphetamine) can be detected in urine is about 10 days after its use. However, proof of MA use is possible in hair even several years after its use if the part of the hair that grew in the period of its use is available. In addition, segmental analysis of hair is capable of clarifying the history of MA abuse. This paper reviews the clean-up, extraction, analytical method and distribution of MA and its metabolites in hair from reports published in the last 20 years.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Science Laboratory, Ishikawa Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-1 Kuratsuki, Kanazawa 920-8553, Japan. ip-fslab@po.sphre.ne.jp
authors.forename: Nariaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iio
authors.forename: Seishi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chinaka
authors.forename: Kazuichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hayakawa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D008694:Methamphetamine