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Saliva testing after single and chronic administration of dihydrocodeine
1Institut für Rechtsmedizin und Verkehrsmedizin, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg, Germany.
International Journal of Legal Medicine
|April 12, 2001
Summary
Dihydrocodeine detection in saliva offers evidence of recent drug use. Saliva concentrations, influenced by pH and protein binding, can be twice as long-lasting as in blood.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Analytical Chemistry
- Forensic Toxicology
Background:
- Dihydrocodeine is an opioid analgesic.
- Monitoring drug use often involves biological samples.
- Saliva offers a non-invasive alternative to blood for drug analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare dihydrocodeine and metabolite concentrations in saliva and serum.
- To investigate the relationship between saliva and serum dihydrocodeine levels.
- To assess the utility of saliva for detecting recent dihydrocodeine administration.
Main Methods:
- Collected saliva and serum samples from subjects after single low-dose and chronic high-dose dihydrocodeine administration.
- Analyzed dihydrocodeine and metabolites using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).
- Determined saliva pH and serum protein binding.
Main Results:
- Dihydrocodeine was the primary analyte in saliva up to 12-24 hours post-dose in single-dose studies.
- Saliva dihydrocodeine half-life was approximately double that of blood.
- Saliva/serum concentration ratios were influenced by saliva pH and serum protein binding, becoming more consistent with chronic use.
Conclusions:
- Passive diffusion is the likely mechanism for dihydrocodeine transport into saliva.
- Saliva analysis is a reliable indicator of recent dihydrocodeine administration.
- Saliva monitoring can be a valuable tool in clinical and forensic settings.