ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 4

Extraction of Psychotropic Drugs From Human Scalp Hair
Couper, FJ
Honors Student, Chief Toxicologist, and Assistant Director (VIFP) and Honorary Associate Professor in Forensic Medicine, Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

McIntyre, IM
Honors Student, Chief Toxicologist, and Assistant Director (VIFP) and Honorary Associate Professor in Forensic Medicine, Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

Drummer, OH
Honors Student, Chief Toxicologist, and Assistant Director (VIFP) and Honorary Associate Professor in Forensic Medicine, Victorian Institute of Forensic Pathology and Department of Forensic Medicine, Monash University, Victoria

(Received 24 January 1994; accepted 10 June 1994)

Abstract

A comparison of techniques for the extraction of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs in human scalp hair is described. Human scalp hair was obtained from cadavers known to be taking psychotropic drugs prior to their death. Following a washing step, hair was either solubilized in sodium hydroxide, or treated with dilute hydrochloric acid, methanol or subtilisin. Digests were treated with a solvent and the extracted drugs quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. The alkaline digestion procedure was found to be significantly more effective (P < 0.01) in recovering a range of antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs from hair than either the acidic, methanolic or enzymatic treatments.

Keywords:
toxicology, human scalp hair, antidepressant drugs, antipsychotic drugs, HPLC

Paper ID: JFS13765J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13765J
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