Treatments Against Hair Loss May Hinder Cocaine and Metabolites Detection

    May 2007 in “ Forensic Science Medicine and Pathology ”
    Alessandra Zucchella, Cristiana Stramesi, Lucia Politi, Luca Morini, Aldo Polettini
    TLDR Minoxidil can make it hard to detect cocaine in hair tests.
    The study found that Minoxidil, a common treatment for hair loss, interfered with the detection of cocaine and its metabolites in hair samples. This interference was due to the presence of TMS derivatives of Minoxidil, which produced peaks in chromatograms that overlapped with those of cocaine. Experiments showed that applying Minoxidil to hair could hinder the detection of cocaine and benzoylecgonine, a cocaine metabolite. Attempts to separate these interfering peaks through various methods were unsuccessful. However, a partial solution involved drying the derivatised extract and reconstituting it in methanol, which allowed for the detection of cocaine but not its metabolites. The interference was specific to procedures involving trimethylsilylation, a common derivatisation method in drug analysis.
    Discuss this study in the Community →

    Research cited in this study

    2 / 2 results

    Related Community Posts Join

    6 / 1000+ results

      community Anyone else find themselves staring at other men with full heads of hair?

      in Chat  207 upvotes 3 months ago
      A 19-year-old discusses feelings of envy towards men with full heads of hair, sharing their experience with hair loss since age 16. They have been using oral minoxidil and topical finasteride for two years, with initial improvement but continued shedding, and are considering switching to dutasteride.

      community 3 month progress on Minoxidil 5% only.

      in Is this regrowth?  1037 upvotes 1 year ago
      A user is pleased with their hair regrowth after 3 months using Minoxidil 5%. They plan to start Finasteride upon returning home, and others discuss the importance of consistency and patience with hair loss treatments.

      community Young guys read this

       68 upvotes 7 years ago
      A user's experience with dealing with hair loss, and the advice that was shared by other users to cope with it. Suggested treatments included shaving their head, using medications such as finasteride, minoxidil, and dutasteride, as well as dermarolling.

      community Ashton Kutcher talking about Avodart/Dutasteride on national television

       109 upvotes 6 years ago
      How actor Ashton Kutcher used Dutasteride (Avodart) to treat his hair loss at age 25, but stopped taking it due to potential side effects when he wanted to have kids; and the discussion of various treatments for hair loss such as finasteride, minoxidil, and RU58841.

      community I wish we didn’t have to live with this….

       61 upvotes 6 years ago
      The struggles of hair loss at a young age and available treatments, such as medication (Finasteride, Minoxidil, Dutasteride, Derma Rolling) and potential options for hair systems or cloning in Japan. People discussed their own experiences with trying to cope with the emotional aspects of this condition.

    Related Research

    2 / 2 results