Detection of androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione (6-OXO) and its metabolites in urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in relation to doping analysis.
The metabolism and excretion of androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione after administration of the 'nutritional' supplement 6-OXO was investigated by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in full-scan mode. The parent drug androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione and androst-4-ene-6alpha,17beta-diol-3-one and androst-4-ene-6alpha-ol-3,17-dione were detected in the post-administration urine samples. Because androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione is an anabolic steroid and an aromatase inhibitor, this substance is regarded as a doping agent. Hence, a selective and sensitive GC-MS method in selected ion monitoring mode for the detection of the TMS-enol-TMS-ether derivatives of these substances was developed and validated for doping control purposes. The limit of detection (LOD) of the investigated compounds ranged from 5 to 10 ng/mL. Using this method, the detection time for androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione and androst-4-ene-6alpha,17beta-diol-3-one was 24 h, while androst-4-ene-6alpha-ol-3,17-dione could be detected up to 37 h after administration of the dose recommended by the manufacturer.
Van Thuyne
W
W
Doping Control Laboratory, Department of Clinical Biology, Microbiology and Immunology, Ghent University-UGent, Technologiepark 30, B-9052 Zwijnaarde, Belgium.
Van Eenoo
P
P
Mikulcíková
P
P
Deventer
K
K
Delbeke
F T
FT
D000328:Adult; D000736:Androstenes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine*; D004300:Doping in Sports / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans
D000736:Androstenes; C018213:androst-4-ene-3,6,17-trione