A SIMPLE HPLC METHOD FOR THE SEPARATION OF AMPHETAMINE ISOMERS IN URINE AND ITS APPLICATION IN DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN STREET AMPHETAMINE AND PRESCRIBED D-AMPHETAMINE
S. Palfrey et M. Labib, A SIMPLE HPLC METHOD FOR THE SEPARATION OF AMPHETAMINE ISOMERS IN URINE AND ITS APPLICATION IN DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN STREET AMPHETAMINE AND PRESCRIBED D-AMPHETAMINE, Annals of clinical biochemistry, 33, 1996, pp. 344-346
D-amphetamine has been increasingly prescribed to treat amphetamine ab
users. Prescribing D-amphetamine requires laboratory evidence or confi
rmation of current use of 'street' amphetamine, using a method which s
hould be capable of differentiating between 'street' amphetamine and p
rescribed D-amphetamine. We have developed a simple high-performance l
iquid chromagraphy (HPLC) method for the separation of the two isomers
of amphetamine in urine and have assessed its use in differentiating
between 'street' amphetamine and prescribed D-amphetamine. The method
is reproducible, free from interference and has a detection limit of 0
.1 mu g/mL for each isomer. Urine from patients prescribed D-amphetami
ne contained only a trace amount of L-amphetamine (less than 4%) where
as urine from those taking 'street' amphetamine contained more than 50
% L-amphetamine. The method is applicable to confirmation of 'street'
amphetamine misuse and for monitoring patient compliance with treatmen
t, The presence of 4% or less L-amphetamine in urine would suggest tha
t the patient is only taking prescribed D-amphetamine whereas the pres
ence of L-amphetamine in higher concentrations suggests that the patie
nt is taking 'street' amphetamine, with or without prescribed D-amphet
amine.