In this paper, the authors present a critical review of different studies regarding hair testing of endogenous γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), concentrations in chronic users, and values measured after a single GHB exposure in drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) cases together with the role of a recently identified GHB metabolite, GHB-glucuronide. Content: The following databases (up to March 2017) PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were used, searching the following key words: γ-hydroxybutyrate, GHB, GHB glucuronide, hair. The main key words “GHB” and “γ-hydroxybutyrate” were searched singularly and then associated individually to each of the other keywords. Summary: Of the 2304 sources found, only 20 were considered appropriate for the purpose of this paper. Summing up all the studies investigating endogenous GHB concentration in hair, a very broad concentration range from 0 to 12 ng/mg was found. In order to detect a single GHB dose in hair it is necessary to commonly wait 1 month for collecting hair and a segmental analysis of 3 or 5 mm fragments and the calculation of a ratio between the targeted segment and the others represent a reliable method to detect a single GHB intake considering that the ratios presently proposed vary from 3 and 10. The only two studies so far performed, investigating GHB-Glucuronide in hair, show that the latter does not seem to provide any diagnostic information regarding GHB exposure.

Hair testing of GHB: an everlasting issue in forensic toxicology / Busardò, Francesco Paolo; Pichini, Simona; Zaami, Simona; Pacifici, Roberta; Kintz, Pascal. - In: CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE. - ISSN 1434-6621. - STAMPA. - 56:2(2018), pp. 198-208. [10.1515/cclm-2017-0397]

Hair testing of GHB: an everlasting issue in forensic toxicology

Busardò, Francesco Paolo;Zaami, Simona;
2018

Abstract

In this paper, the authors present a critical review of different studies regarding hair testing of endogenous γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), concentrations in chronic users, and values measured after a single GHB exposure in drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) cases together with the role of a recently identified GHB metabolite, GHB-glucuronide. Content: The following databases (up to March 2017) PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science were used, searching the following key words: γ-hydroxybutyrate, GHB, GHB glucuronide, hair. The main key words “GHB” and “γ-hydroxybutyrate” were searched singularly and then associated individually to each of the other keywords. Summary: Of the 2304 sources found, only 20 were considered appropriate for the purpose of this paper. Summing up all the studies investigating endogenous GHB concentration in hair, a very broad concentration range from 0 to 12 ng/mg was found. In order to detect a single GHB dose in hair it is necessary to commonly wait 1 month for collecting hair and a segmental analysis of 3 or 5 mm fragments and the calculation of a ratio between the targeted segment and the others represent a reliable method to detect a single GHB intake considering that the ratios presently proposed vary from 3 and 10. The only two studies so far performed, investigating GHB-Glucuronide in hair, show that the latter does not seem to provide any diagnostic information regarding GHB exposure.
2018
drug facilitated sexual assault (DFSA); forensic toxicology; GHB-glucuronide; hair; gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB); Clinical Biochemistry; Biochemistry (medical)
01 Pubblicazione su rivista::01g Articolo di rassegna (Review)
Hair testing of GHB: an everlasting issue in forensic toxicology / Busardò, Francesco Paolo; Pichini, Simona; Zaami, Simona; Pacifici, Roberta; Kintz, Pascal. - In: CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND LABORATORY MEDICINE. - ISSN 1434-6621. - STAMPA. - 56:2(2018), pp. 198-208. [10.1515/cclm-2017-0397]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11573/1087705
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