title: Evaluation of drug incorporation into hair segments and nails by enantiomeric analysis following controlled single MDMA intakes.
abstract: Incorporation rates of the enantiomers of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and its metabolite 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) into hair and nails were investigated after controlled administration. Fifteen subjects without MDMA use received two doses of 125 mg of MDMA. Hair, nail scrapings, and nail clippings were collected 9-77 days after the last administration (median 20 days). Hair samples were analyzed in segments of 1- to 2-cm length. After chiral derivatization with N-(2,4-dinitro-5-fluorophenyl)-L-valinamide, MDMA and MDA diastereomers were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Highest concentrations in hair segments corresponded to the time of MDMA intake. They ranged from 101 to 3200 pg/mg and 71 to 860 pg/mg for R- and S-MDMA, and from 3.2 to 116 pg/mg and 4.4 to 108 pg/mg for R- and S-MDA, respectively. MDMA and MDA concentrations in nail scrapings and clippings were significantly lower than in hair samples. There was no significant difference between enantiomeric ratios of R/S-MDMA and R/S-MDA in hair and nail samples (medians 2.2-2.4 for MDMA and 0.85-0.95 for MDA). Metabolite ratios of MDA to MDMA were in the same range in hair and nail samples (medians 0.044-0.055). Our study demonstrates that administration of two representative doses of MDMA was detected in the hair segments corresponding to the time of intake based on average hair growth rates. MDMA was detected in all nail samples regardless of time passed after intake. Comparable R/S ratios in hair and nail samples may indicate that incorporation mechanisms into both matrices are comparable.
authors.affiliation: Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, Center for Forensic Hairanalytics, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Milena M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Madry
authors.affiliation: Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Andrea E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Steuer
authors.affiliation: Psychopharmacology Research, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine and Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, Hebelstrasse 2, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Cédric M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hysek
authors.affiliation: Psychopharmacology Research, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of Biomedicine and Department of Clinical Research, University Hospital Basel, Hebelstrasse 2, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Liechti
authors.affiliation: Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, Center for Forensic Hairanalytics, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Markus R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.affiliation: Zurich Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190/52, 8057, Zurich, Switzerland. thomas.kraemer@irm.uzh.ch.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kraemer
mesh_terms: D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006197:Hair / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D009262:Nails / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D015104:3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine
keywords: Controlled administration; Hair analysis; MDMA enantiomers; Nail analysis; Single intake