Abstract
The short chain fatty acid gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a precursor, and the metabolite of gamma-Aminobutyric acid is commonly used as an illegal recreational drug of abuse. Methods: An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for endogenous GHB and its glucuronide in nails, to complement hair in forensic contexts for a retrospective detection of psychotropic drugs consumption. Results: GHB endogenous values for children and adolescents, adult females, and adult males in fingernails ranged from 0.3 to 3.0, 3.2, and 3.8 ng/mg, respectively, and toenails values ranged from 0.3 to 1.8, 2.0, and 2.4 ng/mg, respectively. In the three different groups, values of GHB in fingernails were statistically higher than those in toenails. GHB glucuronide could only be detected in finger nails with values ranging from 0.08 to 0.233, 0.252 and 0.243 in children and adolescents, adult females and adult males, respectively. Conclusions: The validated method was efficaciously applied to real finger and toe nails specimens from a population of males and females non GHB consumers. A preliminary cut-off of 5.0 ng/mg nail for endogenous GHB and 0.5 ng/mg for endogenous GHB-Gluc in the general population was proposed.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 2686 |
| Journal | Molecules |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Oct 18 2018 |
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Keywords
- Endogenous values
- GHB
- GHB glucuronide
- Nails
- ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Analytical Chemistry
- Chemistry (miscellaneous)
- Molecular Medicine
- Pharmaceutical Science
- Drug Discovery
- Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
Cite this
Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay for determination of endogenous ghb and ghb-glucuronide in nails. / Busardò, Francesco Paolo; Gottardi, Massimo; Tini, Anastasio; Mortali, Claudia; Giorgetti, Raffaele; Pichini, Simona.
In: Molecules, Vol. 23, No. 10, 2686, 18.10.2018.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry assay for determination of endogenous ghb and ghb-glucuronide in nails
AU - Busardò, Francesco Paolo
AU - Gottardi, Massimo
AU - Tini, Anastasio
AU - Mortali, Claudia
AU - Giorgetti, Raffaele
AU - Pichini, Simona
PY - 2018/10/18
Y1 - 2018/10/18
N2 - The short chain fatty acid gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a precursor, and the metabolite of gamma-Aminobutyric acid is commonly used as an illegal recreational drug of abuse. Methods: An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for endogenous GHB and its glucuronide in nails, to complement hair in forensic contexts for a retrospective detection of psychotropic drugs consumption. Results: GHB endogenous values for children and adolescents, adult females, and adult males in fingernails ranged from 0.3 to 3.0, 3.2, and 3.8 ng/mg, respectively, and toenails values ranged from 0.3 to 1.8, 2.0, and 2.4 ng/mg, respectively. In the three different groups, values of GHB in fingernails were statistically higher than those in toenails. GHB glucuronide could only be detected in finger nails with values ranging from 0.08 to 0.233, 0.252 and 0.243 in children and adolescents, adult females and adult males, respectively. Conclusions: The validated method was efficaciously applied to real finger and toe nails specimens from a population of males and females non GHB consumers. A preliminary cut-off of 5.0 ng/mg nail for endogenous GHB and 0.5 ng/mg for endogenous GHB-Gluc in the general population was proposed.
AB - The short chain fatty acid gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a precursor, and the metabolite of gamma-Aminobutyric acid is commonly used as an illegal recreational drug of abuse. Methods: An ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was developed and validated for endogenous GHB and its glucuronide in nails, to complement hair in forensic contexts for a retrospective detection of psychotropic drugs consumption. Results: GHB endogenous values for children and adolescents, adult females, and adult males in fingernails ranged from 0.3 to 3.0, 3.2, and 3.8 ng/mg, respectively, and toenails values ranged from 0.3 to 1.8, 2.0, and 2.4 ng/mg, respectively. In the three different groups, values of GHB in fingernails were statistically higher than those in toenails. GHB glucuronide could only be detected in finger nails with values ranging from 0.08 to 0.233, 0.252 and 0.243 in children and adolescents, adult females and adult males, respectively. Conclusions: The validated method was efficaciously applied to real finger and toe nails specimens from a population of males and females non GHB consumers. A preliminary cut-off of 5.0 ng/mg nail for endogenous GHB and 0.5 ng/mg for endogenous GHB-Gluc in the general population was proposed.
KW - Endogenous values
KW - GHB
KW - GHB glucuronide
KW - Nails
KW - ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055075200&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85055075200&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/molecules23102686
DO - 10.3390/molecules23102686
M3 - Article
C2 - 30340398
AN - SCOPUS:85055075200
VL - 23
JO - Molecules
JF - Molecules
SN - 1420-3049
IS - 10
M1 - 2686
ER -