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Published:
Journal of Analytical Toxicology,
ISSN 0146-4760,
Volume 25,
Number 8, November/December, pp. 699-704
Serum and Urine Concentrations of Flunitrazepam and Metabolites,
after a Single Oral Dose, by Immunoassay and GCMS
H. Snyder, K.S. Schwenzer, R. Pearlman, A.J. McNally,
M. Tsilimidos, and S.J. Salamone
Roche Diagnostic Systems, Somerville, New Jersey 08876
R. Brenneisen
University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
M.A. ElSohly and S. Feng
ElSohly Laboratories, Incorporated, Oxford, Mississippi 38655
A clinical study was conducted to assess the ability of commercially
available immunoassays to detect flunitrazepam (FNP) in plasma and urine samples
and to compare the results with those obtained by gas chromatographymass
spectrometry (GCMS). The clinical study consisted of four individuals
(two male and two female) who had taken a single 2-mg dose of FNP. Serum was
collected over a 48-h period and urine was collected over a 72-h period. The
serum and urine samples were analyzed by the COBAS® INTEGRA Serum Benzodiazepines
assay (SBENZ), the TDx serum and urine Benzodiazepines assay, and GCMS.
The GCMS procedure was developed for analysis of FNP and metabolites in
plasma and urine using an acid hydrolysis step resulting in the formation of
specific benzophenones corresponding to FNP and its metabolites. The relative
sensitivities of the assays for the detection of FNP and metabolites in serum
and urine were GCMS > SBENZ > TDx. The immunoassay results for serum
samples showed peak concentrations of FNP metabolites at 8 h after FNP ingestion
for three individuals and at about 1 h for the fourth individual. The GCMS,
SBENZ, and TDx urine immunoassays detected drug above the stated limit of detection
(LOD) in 44, 41, and 35 serial FNP urine samples, respectively. FNP metabolites
were detected in urine samples with all three assays for up to 72 h after a
2-mg dose. The improved detection rate with the SBENZ assay as compared to the
TDx assay is likely explained by its higher cross-reactivity with the major
metabolite, 7-amino-flunitrazepam (7-amino-FNP), and its lower LOD.
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