Distribution of methamphetamine and amphetamine in drug abusers’ head hair

• Published in: Forensic science international Vol. 190; no. 1; pp. 16 - 18
• Main Authors: Lee, Sooyeun, Han, Eunyoung, Park, Yonghoon, Choi, Hwakyung, Chung, Heesun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ireland Ltd 10.09.2009; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Amphetamine; Amphetamine - analysis; Amphetamine-Related Disorders - diagnosis; Biological and medical sciences; Central Nervous System Stimulants - analysis; Concentration; Criminal investigations; Drug abuse; Forensic medicine; Forensic sciences; Forensic Toxicology; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; General aspects; Hair; Hair - chemistry; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Metabolite-to-parent drug ratio; Metabolites; Methamphetamine; Methamphetamine - analysis; Pathology; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Ratios; Reference Values; Studies; Substance Abuse Detection; Hair; Metabolite-to-parent drug ratio; Amphetamine; Concentration; Methamphetamine; Amphetamine derivatives; Drug; Drug addiction; Head; Forensic science; CNS stimulant; Legal medicine; Metabolite; Parent; Psychotropic; Metamfetamine; Forensic aspect; Sympathomimetic; Hair (head); Toxicological exploration; Distribution; Amfetamine; Ratio; Pharmacokinetics
• ISSN: 0379-0738; 1872-6283
• DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2009.05.004

Abstract In order to aid the interpretation of hair results from methamphetamine (MA) abusers the MA and amphetamine (AP) concentrations in 2070 hair samples were statistically evaluated. The MA and AP concentrations in hair were put into three groups arbitrarily representing low, medium and high ranges and the metabolite-to-parent drug ratios of each group were examined. The concentration ranges proposed here were also applied to the interpretation of five authentic cases. The low, medium and high ranges of MA were 0.5–4.2, 4.2–24.5 and 24.5–608.9 ng/mg and those of AP were 0.1–0.4, 0.4–1.7 and 1.7–41.4 ng/mg. The AP-to-MA ratios showed large variation but a tendency that it decreased as the MA ranges increased. This evaluation was very useful to presume the severity of individuals’ MA abuse and to provide law enforcement agencies more understandable information. It could also facilitate the court's decision regarding specific circumstances surrounding the drug-related crimes.