Quantitative analysis of desmethylselegiline, methamphetamine, and amphetamine in hair and plasma from Parkinson patients on long-term selegiline medication.
Hair and plasma from patients on long-term selegiline medication were analyzed to evaluate the relationships between plasma and hair melanin concentrations and the incorporation of the selegiline metabolites methamphetamine and amphetamine in hair, and to evaluate hair analyses for determining compliance in medication. Analyses were performed on both the whole hairs, as well as pigmented and non-pigmented hairs from gray-haired patients. Melanin was quantitated by spectrophotometry, and metabolites were quantitated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Concentrations in pigmented and non-pigmented hairs differed significantly for both methamphetamine (p < 0.01) and amphetamine (p < 0.02), with mean concentration ratios being 3.69 +/- 1.88 and 2.95 +/- 1.16 for methamphetamine and amphetamine, respectively. Segmental analysis indicated that some patients had not been compliant with medication. We concluded that the incorporation of methamphetamine and amphetamine into hair of single individuals shows a preference for pigmented hairs over white hairs and that segmental analysis of hair may be useful when measuring compliance with medication.
National Board of Forensic Medicine, Department of Forensic Chemistry, Linköping University Hospital, SE-581 85 Linköping, Sweden. robert.kronstrand@rmv.se
Robert
R
Kronstrand
Johan
J
Ahlner
Nil
N
Dizdar
Göran
G
Larson
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000661:Amphetamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006200:Hair Color / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008543:Melanins / Q000032:analysis; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012642:Selegiline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D013053:Spectrophotometry
D000662:Amphetamines; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents; D008543:Melanins; D012642:Selegiline; D008694:Methamphetamine; C017861:desmethylselegiline; D000661:Amphetamine