Seishi Tanaka

Simultaneous chiral determination of methamphetamine and its metabolites in urine by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry

A capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous chiral determination of enantiomers of methamphetamine (MA), amphetamine (AP), dimethylamphetamine (DMA) and p-hydroxymethamphetamine (pOHMA), in urine has been developed. The internal standards used were 2-phenylethylamine and 1-amino4-phenylbutane. The electrolyte was 1 M formic acid (pH 2.2). The chiral selector, which was added to the electrolyte, was a mixture of 3 mM beta-cyclodextrin and 10 mM heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin. The detection limits were 0.03 microg ml(-1) for the enantiomers of MA and AP and 0.05 microg ml(-1) for the enantiomers of pOHMA using selected ion monitoring. In the analysis of healthy adult urine samples spiked with MA, AP and pOHMA, the precision of within-run assays (n = 4) for the migration time after correction with two internal standards were under 0.04%, and the detection yields utilizing solid phase extraction were 95-105%. This method was applicable to the analysis of urine samples of MA addicts and DMA addicts.

Simultaneous chiral analysis of methamphetamine and related compounds by capillary electrophoresis

A capillary electrophoretic method for the simultaneous chiral analysis of nine cationic drugs (18 enantiomers) has been developed. These drugs are methamphetamine (MA), amphetamine, dimethylamphetamine, ephedrine (EP), norephedrine, methylephedrine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-ethylamphetamine. The chiral selector, which was added to the electrolyte, was a mixture of beta-cyclodextrin and heptakis(2,6-di-O-methyl)-beta-cyclodextrin. The detection limits of all enantiomers were 0.1 microg/ml, and the intermediate precisions of migration time and peak area of within-run assays (n=6) were under 0.3% and 1.4%, respectively. The calibration curves of the peak area of (1R,2S)-(-)-EP and S-(+)-MA were linear in the range 0.2-500 microg/ml. This method was applicable to urine analysis.

Determination of stimulants in a single human hair sample by high-performance liquid chromatographic method with chemiluminescence detection.

Stimulants that are controlled by the Stimulant Drug Control Law of Japan are methamphetamine (MA) and amphetamine (AP). MA is used by most stimulant addicts, and AP is detected as its main metabolite. We have developed a high-performance liquid chromatography method with chemiluminescence detection (CL-HPLC), for determining trace levels of MA and its metabolites in a single human hair sample, in which bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)oxalate and hydrogen peroxide are the postcolumn reagents. After washing a single hair sample with water and methanol, it was cut into pieces, extracted with a mixed solution of methanol and hydrochloric acid for 1 h under ultra-sonication and allowed to stand at room temperature overnight. Then the organic phase was evaporated to dryness. To the residues, 0.1 mL of carbonate buffer and 0.1 mL of dansyl chloride solution were added and the solution was heated at 45 degrees C for 1 h. An aliquot of the reaction mixture was then subjected to HPLC. MA and AP were chemiluminogenically detected as their dansyl derivatives from a sample of only a single hair. The detection limit was about 2 pg in an injected volume (20 microliters), and about 20 pg in a single hair sample. This detection limit was smaller than that by the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (selective ion monitoring) method. Our method was useful as a screening test for stimulant users.

HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY STUDY ON EFFECTS OF PERMANENT WAVE,DYE AND DECOLORANT TREATMENTS ON METHAMPHETAMINE AND AMPHETAMINE IN HAIR

Black hairs that had been removed from a methamphetamine (MA) addict were treated with permanent wave, dye or decolorant liquids, and MA and amphetamine (AP) were quantified by a high-performance liquid chromatography/chemiluminescence detection method. The concentrations of MA and AP in the hair decreased significantly in all cases. Both MA and AP were stable in the permanent wave treatments, but not stable in the dye or decolorant treatments. As possible reasons for the decrease, the elution of MA and AP from hair in the permanent wave treatment, and the degradation of MA and AP in the dye or decolorant treatments might be considered. These results suggested that treatments of hair with permanent wave, dye or decolorant liquids interfered with determination of MA and AP in hair.