The concentration of oxazepam and oxazepam glucuronide in oral fluid, blood and serum after controlled administration of 15 and 30 mg oxazepam.
OBJECTIVE
To measure and compare the concentration-time profiles of oxazepam and oxazepam glucuronide in blood, serum and oral fluid within the scope of roadside testing.


METHODS
Biological samples were collected from eight male subjects after ingestion of 15 or 30 mg oxazepam on separate dosing occasions with an interval of 7 days. The concentration-time profiles of oxazepam and oxazepam glucuronide were fitted by using a one-compartment model.


RESULTS
For oxazepam and oxazepam glucuronide, the mean oral fluid/blood ratios were 0.05 (range 0.04-0.07) and 0.004 (range 0.002-0.006), respectively. The concentration-time profiles in oral fluid paralleled those in blood.


CONCLUSIONS
After oral administration of therapeutic doses of oxazepam, concentrations in oral fluid are very much lower than those in blood, and those of oxazepam glucuronide are much lower than those of the parent compound. Nevertheless, assay of oral fluid for oxazepam can be used to detect recent ingestion of the drug in drivers suspected of impaired driving performance.
Smink
Beitske E
BE
Netherlands Forensic Institute, Department of Toxicology, The Hague, the Netherlands. b.smink@nfi.minjus.nl
Hofman
Berendina J A
BJ
Dijkhuizen
Albert
A
Lusthof
Klaas J
KJ
de Gier
Johan J
JJ
Egberts
Antoine C G
AC
Uges
Donald R A
DR
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004333:Drug Administration Routes; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D008297:Male; D010076:Oxazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012463:Saliva / Q000187:drug effects*; D044967:Serum / Q000187:drug effects*; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; C026256:oxazepam glucuronide; D010076:Oxazepam