title: A comprehensive and sensitive method for hair analysis in drug-facilitated crimes and incorporation of zolazepam and tiletamine into hair after a single exposure.
abstract: Hair is a highly relevant specimen that is used to verify drug exposure in victims of drug-facilitated crime (DFC) cases. In the present study, a new analytical method involving ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was developed for determining the presence of model drugs, including zolazepam and tiletamine and their metabolites in hair specimens from DFCs. The incorporation of zolazepam and tiletamine into hair after a single exposure was investigated in Long-Evans rats with the ratio of the hair concentration to the area under the curve. For rapid and simple sample preparation, methanol extraction and protein precipitation were performed for hair and plasma, respectively. No interference was observed in drug-free hair or plasma, except for hair-derived diphenhydramine in blank hair. The coefficients of variance of the matrix effects were below 12%, and the recoveries of the analytes exceeded 70% in all of the matrices. The precision and accuracy results were satisfactory. The limits of quantification ranged from 20 to 50 pg in 10 mg of hair. The drug incorporation rates were 0.03 ± 0.01% for zolazepam and 2.09 ± 0.51% for tiletamine in pigmented hair. We applied the present method to real hair samples in order to determine the drug that was used in seven cases. These results suggest that this comprehensive and sensitive hair analysis method can successfully verify a drug after a single exposure in crimes and can be applied in forensic and clinical toxicology laboratories.
authors.affiliation: Narcotics, Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Division, Seoul Institute, National Forensic Service, 139 Jiyang-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 08036, Republic of Korea.|Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jihyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Narcotics, Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Division, Seoul Institute, National Forensic Service, 139 Jiyang-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 08036, Republic of Korea.|Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyesun
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yum
authors.affiliation: Narcotics, Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Division, Seoul Institute, National Forensic Service, 139 Jiyang-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 08036, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Moonhee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Narcotics, Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Division, Seoul Institute, National Forensic Service, 139 Jiyang-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 08036, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ilchung
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Narcotics, Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Division, Seoul Institute, National Forensic Service, 139 Jiyang-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 08036, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Wonkyung
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Narcotics, Forensic Toxicology and Chemistry Division, Seoul Institute, National Forensic Service, 139 Jiyang-ro, Yangcheon-gu, Seoul, 08036, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seungkyung
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baeck
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Joon Hyuk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Keimyung University, 1095 Dalgubeol-daero, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, 42601, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sooyeun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, 84 Heukseok-ro, Dongjak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea. hansb@cau.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sang Beom
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012742:Sex Offenses; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D013992:Tiletamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D015041:Zolazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000927:Anticonvulsants; D013992:Tiletamine; D015041:Zolazepam
keywords: Drug incorporation rates; Drug-facilitated crimes; Hair analysis; Single drug exposure; Tiletamine; Zolazepam