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Urinary methamphetamine concentration following famprofazone administration
Abstract:
A 37-year-old man had a considerable concentration of methamphetamine in his urine, but he denied taking any abused drug. It was found that he took a pain killer that contains famprofazone, a relatively strong analgesic whose metabolites include methamphetamine and amphetamine. The human urinary metabolism of famprofazone was investigated. Immunoassay was used as a preliminary test, and gas chromatography with flame-ionization detection and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry were used for quantitation and confirmation.
Insights
Famprofazone, a painkiller, can be metabolized into amphetamine and methamphetamine. This study investigated the urinary metabolism of famprofazone, explaining a false positive drug test result.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Toxicology
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Drug testing often relies on immunoassays, which can produce false positives.
- Metabolism of certain medications can lead to the detection of illicit substances.
Observation:
- A patient tested positive for methamphetamine but denied illicit drug use.
- The patient reported taking a painkiller containing famprofazone.
Findings:
- Famprofazone is metabolized into methamphetamine and amphetamine in humans.
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry confirmed the presence of these metabolites.
Implications:
- Famprofazone use can cause false positives in drug screenings.
- Awareness of drug metabolism is crucial for accurate interpretation of toxicology results.