Is there a relationship between abuse of alcohol and illicit drugs seen in hair results?

Combined use of alcohol and illicit drugs is a serious health and social problem. In this study, it was examined, whether a relationship between alcohol and drug abuse can be ascertained by comparison of alcohol marker and drug concentrations in hair. In the frame of a social support system for families with parental abuse of illicit drugs, hair samples were analyzed between 2011 and 2022 for methadone, heroin (6-acetylmorphine), cocaine, amphetamine, ecstasy (MDMA), cannabinoids (THC), and the alcohol markers ethyl glucuronide (EtG) and ethyl palmitate (EtPa). For 1314 hair samples from adolescent and adult family members, the hair results show a prevalence of combined occasional or regular drug use and social or abusive alcohol use of 41%-60% except heroin (35%). The drug concentrations were statistically compared in the three categories of abstinence or moderate drinking, social drinking, and alcohol abuse. For the most frequently detected drug cocaine (n = 703), a significant increase of the concentrations with rising alcohol consumption was found. The frequent detection of cocaethylene proved the preferred simultaneous intake of both substances. For THC (n = 489), no significant difference between the alcohol consumer groups was seen. Concerning the less frequently detected methadone (n = 89), 6-acetylmorphine (n = 92), amphetamine (n = 123), and MDMA (n = 105), no clear trend between drug and alcohol marker results was determined. It is concluded that the evaluation of hair results is an appropriate way to study the extent of combined drug-alcohol consumption and complements other studies based on acquisition of consumption data by interview or questionnaire.

Constructing comprehensive venom proteome reference maps for integrative venomics.

OBJECTIVE: Understanding the molecular basis of complex adaptive traits, such as snake venom, demands qualitative and quantitative comparisons of the temporal and spatial patterns of venom variation. Here, we assessed the proof-of-concept that locus-resolved reference venom proteome maps can be achieved through efficient pre-MS venom proteome decomplexation, peptide-centric MS/MS analysis and species-specific database searching. METHODS: Venom proteome components were fractionated and quantified by RP-HPLC, SDS-PAGE and 2DE prior to LC-MS/MS matching against a species-specific transcriptomic dataset. RESULTS: Combination of RP-HPLC/SDS-PAGE and 2DE followed by LC-MS/MS showed the existence of ∼178-180 venom protein species generated from ∼48 unique transcripts. CONCLUSIONS: Our results underscore that if sufficient pre-MS and MS efforts are applied, comprehensive venom maps can be achieved. And - equally important - dissociating the venom decomplexing steps from the protein identification process represents the key to achieving a quantitative and locus-resolved insight of the venom proteome.

Hair analysis in the detection of long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and its relation to gastrointestinal hemorrhage: an examination of 268 hair and blood samples from autopsy cases.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used as analgesics and antipyretics in Western countries. Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are common side effects of NSAIDs and other drugs. This study investigated the correlation between chronic use of these substances and GI lesions by analyzing postmortem blood and hair samples from autopsy cases. This study included 268 hair and blood samples from autopsy cases. Deceased individuals with GI lesions were selected for the case group (n = 132) and those without any GI lesions were placed in the control group (n = 136). Collection of the samples took place from 2008 until 2010 at the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany. HPLC-DAD was used to analyze the blood samples while hair samples were analyzed using LC-quadrupole-time-of-flight-MS. The proximal 0-6 cm hair segment was analyzed. The full length of shorter hair samples was analyzed when longer segments were unavailable. Method validation was performed according to the guidelines of the German Society of Toxicological and Forensic Chemistry (GTFCh). Twenty-three per cent of the case group blood samples included one or more NSAIDs while 19 % of the control group blood samples included one or more NSAIDs. In contrast, the hair analysis results demonstrated that samples from the control and case group differed significantly; 67 % of the case group tested positive for one or more NSAIDs while 38 % of the control group tested positive for one or more NSAIDs. Hair analysis results provided a strong indication of a relationship between frequent NSAID consumption and GI lesions.