Gammahydroxybutyrate in hair of non-GHB and repeated GHB users: A new and optimized method

Nicolas Van Elsué; Cleo L Crunelle; Cor A Verbrugge; Kim van Baarle; Anaïs Rodrigues; Hugo Neels; Michel Yegles

doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.08.025

Gammahydroxybutyrate in hair of non-GHB and repeated GHB users: A new and optimized method

Nicolas Van Elsué, Cleo L Crunelle, Cor A Verbrugge, Kim van Baarle, Anaïs Rodrigues, Hugo Neels, Michel Yegles

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

12 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a short-chain fatty acid used recreationally as a drug of abuse due its strong suppressive effect on the central nervous system. The detection window of GHB in blood and urine is very narrow (t1/2=30min) but can be substantially prolonged using alternative matrices such as hair. We here present a newly developed and limited validated method with a solid phase extraction (SPE) using GC-MS/MS to determine concentrations of GHB in hair samples. The soft extraction technique (water and 90min ultrasonic bath) preserves GHB with a high yield and clean extracts. In addition, endogenous GHB can be detected in hair of non-GHB users. However, little is known about GHB concentrations in hair of abstinent, frequent and chronic GHB users. Therefore, we present data from hair samples of healthy volunteers to evaluate the proposed endogenous GHB ranges, and from GHB-dependent patients to address GHB concentrations in hair with GHB intake. In 20 non-GHB users, a mean endogenous concentration of 1.1±0.6ng/mg hair (range of 0.3-2ng/mg) was found. In GHB-dependent patients, concentrations between 6.3-239.6ng/mg hair were found, with no correlation between concentrations in hair and dose of GHB intake. In summary, we present a new and limited validated method, adequately sensitive for the detection of GHB in hair, as well as first-time measurements of GHB concentrations in dependent patients in order to better understand the relationship between the frequency of use/dose and concentrations observed in hair samples.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	193-198
Number of pages	6
Journal	Forensic Science International
Volume	291
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.08.025
Publication status	Published - Oct 2018

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Female
Forensic Toxicology/methods
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Hair/chemistry
Healthy Volunteers
Humans
Male
Reproducibility of Results
Sodium Oxybate/analysis
Solid Phase Extraction
Substance Abuse Detection/methods
Substance-Related Disorders/diagnosis
GHB
Hair
Drug abuse
Method validation
Drug testing

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10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.08.025

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title = "Gammahydroxybutyrate in hair of non-GHB and repeated GHB users: A new and optimized method",

abstract = "Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a short-chain fatty acid used recreationally as a drug of abuse due its strong suppressive effect on the central nervous system. The detection window of GHB in blood and urine is very narrow (t1/2=30min) but can be substantially prolonged using alternative matrices such as hair. We here present a newly developed and limited validated method with a solid phase extraction (SPE) using GC-MS/MS to determine concentrations of GHB in hair samples. The soft extraction technique (water and 90min ultrasonic bath) preserves GHB with a high yield and clean extracts. In addition, endogenous GHB can be detected in hair of non-GHB users. However, little is known about GHB concentrations in hair of abstinent, frequent and chronic GHB users. Therefore, we present data from hair samples of healthy volunteers to evaluate the proposed endogenous GHB ranges, and from GHB-dependent patients to address GHB concentrations in hair with GHB intake. In 20 non-GHB users, a mean endogenous concentration of 1.1±0.6ng/mg hair (range of 0.3-2ng/mg) was found. In GHB-dependent patients, concentrations between 6.3-239.6ng/mg hair were found, with no correlation between concentrations in hair and dose of GHB intake. In summary, we present a new and limited validated method, adequately sensitive for the detection of GHB in hair, as well as first-time measurements of GHB concentrations in dependent patients in order to better understand the relationship between the frequency of use/dose and concentrations observed in hair samples.",

keywords = "Female, Forensic Toxicology/methods, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Hair/chemistry, Healthy Volunteers, Humans, Male, Reproducibility of Results, Sodium Oxybate/analysis, Solid Phase Extraction, Substance Abuse Detection/methods, Substance-Related Disorders/diagnosis, GHB, Hair, Drug abuse, Method validation, Drug testing",

author = "{Van Elsu{\'e}}, Nicolas and Crunelle, {Cleo L} and Verbrugge, {Cor A} and {van Baarle}, Kim and Ana{\"i}s Rodrigues and Hugo Neels and Michel Yegles",

year = "2018",

month = oct,

doi = "10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.08.025",

language = "English",

volume = "291",

pages = "193--198",

journal = "Forensic Science International",

issn = "0379-0738",

publisher = "Elsevier Ireland Ltd",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Gammahydroxybutyrate in hair of non-GHB and repeated GHB users

T2 - A new and optimized method

AU - Van Elsué, Nicolas

AU - Crunelle, Cleo L

AU - Verbrugge, Cor A

AU - van Baarle, Kim

AU - Rodrigues, Anaïs

AU - Neels, Hugo

AU - Yegles, Michel

PY - 2018/10

Y1 - 2018/10

N2 - Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a short-chain fatty acid used recreationally as a drug of abuse due its strong suppressive effect on the central nervous system. The detection window of GHB in blood and urine is very narrow (t1/2=30min) but can be substantially prolonged using alternative matrices such as hair. We here present a newly developed and limited validated method with a solid phase extraction (SPE) using GC-MS/MS to determine concentrations of GHB in hair samples. The soft extraction technique (water and 90min ultrasonic bath) preserves GHB with a high yield and clean extracts. In addition, endogenous GHB can be detected in hair of non-GHB users. However, little is known about GHB concentrations in hair of abstinent, frequent and chronic GHB users. Therefore, we present data from hair samples of healthy volunteers to evaluate the proposed endogenous GHB ranges, and from GHB-dependent patients to address GHB concentrations in hair with GHB intake. In 20 non-GHB users, a mean endogenous concentration of 1.1±0.6ng/mg hair (range of 0.3-2ng/mg) was found. In GHB-dependent patients, concentrations between 6.3-239.6ng/mg hair were found, with no correlation between concentrations in hair and dose of GHB intake. In summary, we present a new and limited validated method, adequately sensitive for the detection of GHB in hair, as well as first-time measurements of GHB concentrations in dependent patients in order to better understand the relationship between the frequency of use/dose and concentrations observed in hair samples.

AB - Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a short-chain fatty acid used recreationally as a drug of abuse due its strong suppressive effect on the central nervous system. The detection window of GHB in blood and urine is very narrow (t1/2=30min) but can be substantially prolonged using alternative matrices such as hair. We here present a newly developed and limited validated method with a solid phase extraction (SPE) using GC-MS/MS to determine concentrations of GHB in hair samples. The soft extraction technique (water and 90min ultrasonic bath) preserves GHB with a high yield and clean extracts. In addition, endogenous GHB can be detected in hair of non-GHB users. However, little is known about GHB concentrations in hair of abstinent, frequent and chronic GHB users. Therefore, we present data from hair samples of healthy volunteers to evaluate the proposed endogenous GHB ranges, and from GHB-dependent patients to address GHB concentrations in hair with GHB intake. In 20 non-GHB users, a mean endogenous concentration of 1.1±0.6ng/mg hair (range of 0.3-2ng/mg) was found. In GHB-dependent patients, concentrations between 6.3-239.6ng/mg hair were found, with no correlation between concentrations in hair and dose of GHB intake. In summary, we present a new and limited validated method, adequately sensitive for the detection of GHB in hair, as well as first-time measurements of GHB concentrations in dependent patients in order to better understand the relationship between the frequency of use/dose and concentrations observed in hair samples.

KW - Female

KW - Forensic Toxicology/methods

KW - Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

KW - Hair/chemistry

KW - Healthy Volunteers

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Reproducibility of Results

KW - Sodium Oxybate/analysis

KW - Solid Phase Extraction

KW - Substance Abuse Detection/methods

KW - Substance-Related Disorders/diagnosis

KW - GHB

KW - Hair

KW - Drug abuse

KW - Method validation

KW - Drug testing

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U2 - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.08.025

DO - 10.1016/j.forsciint.2018.08.025

M3 - Article

C2 - 30218866

VL - 291

SP - 193

EP - 198

JO - Forensic Science International

JF - Forensic Science International

SN - 0379-0738

ER -

Gammahydroxybutyrate in hair of non-GHB and repeated GHB users: A new and optimized method

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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