Improving the detection of anabolic steroid esters in human serum by LC-MS.

Details

Serval ID
serval:BIB_65397D17D6A8
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Improving the detection of anabolic steroid esters in human serum by LC-MS.
Journal
Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
Author(s)
de la Torre X., Iannone M., Botrè F.
ISSN
1873-264X (Electronic)
ISSN-L
0731-7085
Publication state
Published
Issued date
05/02/2021
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
194
Pages
113807
Language
english
Notes
Publication types: Journal Article
Publication Status: ppublish
Abstract
The detection of the abuse of pseudo-endogenous steroids in sport is articulated in two different levels: an initial testing procedure, based on the longitudinal evaluation of the urinary androgenic steroid profile by gas-chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS <sup>n</sup> ), and a confirmation analysis, based on the differentiation between the endogenous and exogenous origin of the pseudo-endogenous steroids by gas-chromatography coupled to isotopic ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS). The abuse of pharmaceutical preparations displaying a carbon isotopic composition values within a range similar to those reported for endogenous urinary steroids makes more difficult the application of GC/C/IRMS technique. To overcome this limitation, the direct detection of an intact synthetic anabolic steroid ester in blood matrices (plasma and/or serum) could supply the unequivocal proof of exogenous administration of pseudo-endogenous steroids. Here we are presenting a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for the analysis of 14 testosterone (T) esters and 2 nandrolone (Nand) esters in human serum. Sample pre-treatment consisted of protein precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction and derivatization. The formation of three different derivatives (oxime derivatives, Girard P and Girard T hydrazones) is considered, in order to guarantee an improvement in the detection capability of the assay with respect to underivatized compounds. Once the most suitable derivative was selected, the method was validated, according to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) criteria, in terms of specificity, linearity, limit of detection (LOD), extraction recovery, matrix effect (ion suppression/enhancement), carry over and autosampler stability. The formation of Girard P hydrazones of T and Nand esters provides the best results compared to the underivatized compounds, oxime and Girard T derivatives, respectively. The presented analytical method is specific for all considered compounds and linear in the range of concentrations investigated (0.25-10 ng/mL). The LODs are between 0.03 and 0.30 ng/mL, the extraction recovery higher than 70 % for all esters and no remarkable matrix effect, expressed in terms of ion enhancement and ion suppression, was observed. Finally, the developed and validate method was applied in the analysis of serum samples collected after the administration of a single dose (40 mg, 1 capsule) of testosterone undecanoate (Andriol ®) demonstrating its applicability.
Keywords
Anabolic Agents/analysis, Chromatography, Liquid, Doping in Sports, Esters, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, Humans, Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Doping, Girard P derivatives, Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, Nandrolone, Steroid esters, Testosterone
Pubmed
Web of science
Create date
29/06/2021 12:12
Last modification date
05/05/2023 6:57
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