title: Analytical methodologies for the determination of benzodiazepines in biological samples.
abstract: Benzodiazepine drugs belong to important and most widely used medicaments. They demonstrate such therapeutic properties as anxiolytic, sedative, somnifacient, anticonvulsant, diastolic and muscle relaxant effects. However, despite the fact that benzodiazepines possess high therapeutic index and are considered to be relatively safe, their use can be dangerous when: (1) co-administered with alcohol, (2) co-administered with other medicaments like sedatives, antidepressants, neuroleptics or morphine like substances, (3) driving under their influence, (4) using benzodiazepines non-therapeutically as drugs of abuse or in drug-facilitated crimes. For these reasons benzodiazepines are still studied and determined in a variety of biological materials. In this article, sample preparation techniques which have been applied in analysis of benzodiazepine drugs in biological samples have been reviewed and presented. The next part of the article is focused on a review of analytical methods which have been employed for pharmacological, toxicological or forensic study of this group of drugs in the biological matrices. The review was preceded by a description of the physicochemical properties of the selected benzodiazepines and two, very often coexisting in the same analyzed samples, sedative-hypnotic drugs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 30-060 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Persona
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 30-060 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: madejk@chemia.uj.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Madej
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 30-060 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Knihnicki
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 30-060 Krakow, Poland; Laboratory of High Resolution Mass Spectrometry, Regional Laboratory of Physicochemical Analysis and Structural Research, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 30-060 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Piekoszewski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D001569:Benzodiazepines
keywords: Alternative biological materials; Analytical methods; Benzodiazepines; Body fluids; Sample preparation techniques