Lipoperoxides in sebum of substance users and controls

Sebum was collected from forehead skin in five compulsive heroin and/or cocaine (substance) users and in five controls over three consecutive periods, each lasting three hours. The participants were adult black and white men similar in age and smoking habits, who did not consume alcohol. Lipoperoxides were determined in sebum as malondialdehyde by high performance liquid chromatography. Two participants were excluded in the control group: in both, urinary lipoperoxides were elevated; in one, urine tested positive for delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). All other participants had negative urine drug screening tests. Relative to the controls, all substance users had elevated concentrations of lipoperoxides in urine. Compared to the controls, the rate of sebum excretion in the last collecting period was higher in substance users, but sebum had significantly lower lipoperoxide concentration. It is assumed that compulsive drug use may influence lipoperoxidation of incipient sebum, possibly by altered tissue perfusion.