Analysis of sulfate metabolites of the doping agents oxandrolone and danazol using high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry.

The direct detection of sulfate conjugates of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) can be a powerful tool in doping control analysis. By skipping the solvolysis step analysis time can be reduced, and due to long term sulfate metabolites the detection time can be significantly extended as demonstrated for some AAS. This study presents the successful identification of sulfate metabolites of the doping agents oxandrolone and danazol in excretion urines by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The sulfate conjugate of 17ß-hydroxymethyl-17α-methyl-18-nor-2-oxa-5α-androsta-13-en-3-one could be identified as a new metabolite of oxandrolone. Sulfate conjugates of the danazol metabolites ethisterone and 2α-hydroxymethylethisterone were identified in an excretion urine for the first time. In addition, these sulfate conjugates were synthesized successfully. For a confirmation analysis, the number of analytes can be increased by additional sulfate conjugates of danazol metabolites (2-hydroxymethyl-1,2-dehydroethisterone and 6ß-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethylethisterone), which were also identified for the first time. The presented validation data underline the suitability of the identified sulfate conjugates for doping analysis with regard to the criteria given by the technical documents of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry characterization of urinary metabolites of danazol after oral administration in human.

Danazol (17alpha-pregna-2,4-dien-20-yno [2,3-d]-isoxazol-17beta-ol), is a synthetic derivative of ethisterone, structurally related to stanozolol. For this reason its use as doping agent has been investigated. Danazol (Runch) (200 mg) were orally administered to two healthy male volunteers. Urine samples were collected up to 1-week post-dose. Four new metabolites have been identified in addition to the five previously reported. We propose the monitorization of 6beta-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-1,2-dehydroethisterone and 6beta,16epsilon-dihydroxy-2epsilon-hydroxymethyl-ethisterone by free fraction analysis. In a same way, we proposed to detect the principal isomer of a mono-hydroxylated metabolite of 6beta-hydroxy-2epsilon-hydroxymethylethisterone in the conjugated fraction. We conclude that new metabolites can be included for the detection of danazol abuse since the main metabolite ethisterone is excreted relatively fast in urine.

Voltammetric study of danazol and its determination in capsules and spiked biological fluids.

The voltammetric behaviour of danazol DZ (antigonadotropin) was studied using cyclic voltammetry, direct current, differential pulse polarography (DPP) and alternating current polarography. Danazol exhibited irreversible cathodic waves over the pH range of 1-5 in Britton Robinson buffers. At pH 1 (the analytical pH), a well-defined wave with E1/2 of -1.04 V versus Ag/AgCl reference electrode was obtained. The diffusion current constant (Id) was 4.8+/-0.14 microA.L.m mole(-1) and the current-concentration plot was rectilinear over the range from 5 x 10(-6) to 1 x 10(-4) M with correlation coefficient (n = 11) of 0.995. The calculated detection limit was 1 x 10(-6) M using the DPP mode. The wave was characterized as being irreversible, diffusion-controlled although adsorption phenomenon played a limited role in the electrode process. The proposed method was applied to commercial capsules and the average percentage recovery was in agreement with that obtained by the official USP method. The method was extended to the in vitro determination of DZ in spiked human urine and plasma samples, the percentage recoveries were 96+/-4 and 97+/-5, respectively. A proposal of the electrode reaction was postulated.

The detection of danazol and its significance in doping analysis.

The use of anabolic steroids and related compounds in sport is forbidden by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Because danazol (17 alpha-pregna-2,4-dien-20-yno[2,3-D] isoxazol-17 beta-ol) is structurally related to the anabolic steroid stanozolol, its use should be questioned. Therefore, the detection and the significance of danazol in doping analysis are discussed. A urine specimen suspected of containing danazol metabolites was analyzed in order to characterize the metabolites. After isolation and conversion into three different derivatives, the metabolites were subjected to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in the electron impact (EI) mode. The structure assignment was based on the molecular ions, fragmentation patterns observed for the three different derivatives, and the possible metabolite structures given in the literature. Ethisterone was identified as a nonconjugated metabolite. 2-Hydroxymethylethisterone was observed in two stereoisomeric forms. One stereoisomer was found mainly in the nonconjugated steroid fraction and the other in the conjugated fraction. The results were confirmed by analyzing urine specimens of a volunteer who was known to have taken danazol. Derivatization methods and GC/MS data are given to implement danazol detection in routine screening and confirmation procedures.

Carbamazepine-danazol drug interaction: its mechanism examined by a stable isotope technique.

Carbamazepine (CBZ) labeled with 15N was used to investigate the mechanism of its pharmacokinetic interaction with the antiestrogenic steroid danazol during treatment of a patient with epilepsy. Danazol led to a pronounced inhibition of CBZ metabolism. During danazol coadministration, CBZ elimination half-life increased from a pretreatment value of 11 to 24.3 h. Carbamazepine plasma clearance decreased from 57.7 to 23.2 ml/h/kg. Kinetic analysis of the plasma concentration-time curves and urinary excretion of [15N]trans-CBZ-diol revealed that danazol inhibited the epoxide-trans-diol pathway of carbamazepine metabolism. Observations in five other female patients confirm that the steady-state plasma concentrations of UCBZ increase between 50 and 100% during coadministration of danazol.