DRUGS OF ABUSE IN SALIVA

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This research project is designed to investigate the feasibility to use saliva as an alternative biological fluid for the quantitative measurement of drugs of abuse. Collection of specimen is based on a patented device for the collection of an ultrafiltrate of saliva within a few minutes. As a non-invasive method, saliva can be unobtrusively obtained on-site without invasion of privacy and the risk of sample tampering. Once feasibility is proven, the saliva collection device could substitute for the controversial collection of urine, and allow sampling for subsequent screening (e.g. roadside testing of drivers of vehicles, military, sensitive jobs). The use of saliva collection device for the detection of one of the most frequently abused drugs, cocaine, and its major metabolites, benzoylecgonine, will be investigated as a model system in Phase I. The unimpaired transfer of drugs from saliva into the device, potential non- specific uptake, and the stability of drugs will be studied. Finally, the concentrations of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in urine, blood, and saliva from patients attending a drug rehabilitation program will be correlated. During Phase II, the application of the collection device will be extended to other drugs of abuse and applied in connection with a colorimetric immunoassay system that can be utilized on-site by untrained personnel and under non-laboratory conditions.