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Simplified quantitation of urinary benzoylecgonine in cocaine addiction research and for related pharmacotherapeutic trials
Author(s) -
PETERS JULIE E.,
CHOU JAMES Z.,
HO ANN,
REID KEVIN,
BORG LISA,
KREEK MARY JEANNE
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
addiction
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.424
H-Index - 193
eISSN - 1360-0443
pISSN - 0965-2140
DOI - 10.1046/j.1360-0443.1996.911116879.x
Subject(s) - benzoylecgonine , urine , urinary system , metabolite , medicine , addiction , psychiatry
In clinical trials of potential pharmacotherapies for cocaine addiction, objective determination of subject relapse relies on qualitative urine analysis for benzoylecgonine, the major metabolite of cocaine. Unlike qualitative analysis, quantitative measurement allows differentiation between continued cocaine use and a single use, as well as identification of changes in the quantity of cocaine used at different times. The only quantitative technique that has been used is expensive and not generally feasible. This study was performed to modify an existing qualitative technique for use as a new simple and readily available quantitative method for identifying cocaine use among research subjects. Benzoylecgonine levels in 24–hour urine specimens collected from 11 cocaine‐addicted subjects hospitalized in a research setting were measured semi‐quantitatively by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Accurate results required thorough mixing of urine specimens prior to analysis. At admission, eight subjects had urinary benzoylecgonine levels 9 0.30 fig/ml, the standard positive/negative cut‐off used in qualitative analysis. The mean half‐life of benzoylecgonine during initial elimination was 0.46 ± 0.08 (SEM, n = 8) days. Benzoylecgonine (BE)/creatinine (C) levels remained ≥0.30 μgBE/mgC for 4. S ± 0.5 (n = 8) days and ≥ 0.03 μgBE/mgC for 10.5 ± 1.5 (n = 8) days. Relapses in three subjects could be identified by quantitative analysis. This study indicates that quantitation of benzoylecgonine in daily urine specimens provides a sensitive, objective index to cocaine use.