Stability of Morphine, Codeine, and 6-Acetylmorphine in Blood at Different Sampling and Storage Conditions
Ioannis Papoutsis Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Panagiota Nikolaou Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Additional information and reprint requests:
Panagiota Nikolaou, Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Mikras Asias 75, Goudi 115 27
Athens, Greece
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorConstantinos Pistos Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorArtemisia Dona Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorMaria Stefanidou Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorChara Spiliopoulou Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorSotirios Athanaselis Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorIoannis Papoutsis Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Panagiota Nikolaou Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Additional information and reprint requests:
Panagiota Nikolaou, Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology
School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
Mikras Asias 75, Goudi 115 27
Athens, Greece
E-mail: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorConstantinos Pistos Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorArtemisia Dona Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorMaria Stefanidou Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorChara Spiliopoulou Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorSotirios Athanaselis Ph.D.
Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Mikras Asias 75, Goudi, Athens, 11527 Greece
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
The stability of drugs in biological specimens is a major concern during the evaluation of the toxicological results. The stability of morphine, codeine, and 6-acetyl-morphine in blood was studied after different sampling conditions: (i) in glass, polypropylene or polystyrene tubes, (ii) with addition of dipotassium ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (K2EDTA) or sodium oxalate (Na2C2O4), and (iii) with or without the addition of sodium fluoride (NaF). Spiked blood samples were stored at two different temperatures (4 and −20°C), analyzed after different storage times and after three freeze–thaw cycles. Opiate concentrations were decreased in all conditions, but the most unstable was 6-acetyl-morphine. The addition of NaF as preservative improved the stability of opiates at all conditions studied, whereas the type of anticoagulant did not affect the stability of opiates. It was concluded that blood samples should be stored at −20°C in glass tubes containing oxalate and NaF for maximum stability.
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