A method for the rapid detection of the zopiclone degradation product 2-amino-5-chloropyridine

Zopiclone (Zimovane) is a cyclopyrrolone compound which exhibits hypnotic and sedative effects while also exhibiting anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant activities. The detection and quantification of zopiclone is difficult. It has a high molecular weight compared to most other commonly used drugs, therapeutic levels are not high, and it is unstable in nucleophilic solvents. A degradation product of zopiclone, 2-amino-5-chloropyridine (ACP) together with a method for its detection using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection has been described previously. An account is presented of a simple method for the detection of ACP using gas chromatography with mass selective detection (GC/MS) which will facilitate detection of zopiclone use as part of a routine screen.     

The detection of sedatives in hair and nail samples using tandem LC-MS-MS

Drug screening methods were developed to detect alprazolam, clobazam, clonazepam, diazepam, midazolam, oxazepam, temazepam, triazolam, zopiclone, and selected metabolites in human hair and nail samples employing liquid-liquid extraction and tandem liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Hair and nail samples were obtained from patients who had recently discontinued or were currently prescribed one or more of the targeted drugs. Prazepam was used as the internal standard for all compounds. Some components in the hair matrix gave the same transitions as some of the analytes but did not compromise the analyses because their retention times differed from those for the target compounds. The analytical run time was 8-10min. Results of the hair analysis of a DFSA victim are also presented.     

UPLC-MS/MS法检测佐匹克隆及其在大鼠体内动态分布研究

目的建立安眠镇静药佐匹克隆的检测方法及其在大鼠体内动态分布模型。方法实验组大鼠用佐匹克隆橄榄油溶液(47.25mg/kg)灌胃给药,空白对照组大鼠采用橄榄油灌胃,分别于0.5、1、1.5、2.5、5、8、12h后采集心血后处死大鼠,分别取心、肝、肺、脾、肾、胃、大脑组织,采用超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法(UPLC-MS/MS)检测各组织中佐匹克隆的质量浓度。结果佐匹克隆与内标物SKF525A出峰时间分别为1.43、1.6min。各组织中佐匹克隆在5~5000ng/mL(g)线性关系良好。佐匹克隆在10、100、1000ng/mL三个浓度下日间、日内精密度良好,在各组织中平均萃取回收率高。灌胃给药后大鼠各组织中佐匹克隆含量在0.5~1h内呈上升趋势,在1h时达到峰值,在各时间点,佐匹克隆在胃壁组织中含量较其他组织高,心血和大脑组织中相对较少。结论本课题建立的UPLCMS/MS法动态检测大鼠各组织中佐匹克隆的含量具有高效性、可靠性的特点,这对今后法医学案件中涉及到佐匹克隆定性定量检验有一定的参考价值。