SOFT 2004 Meeting Abstracts - Society of Forensic Toxicologists

A80
QUANTITATION OF PHENAZEPAM IN BLOOD BY GC-MS IN POSITIVE DRUG-DRIVING
CASES IN FINLAND
Sirpa Mykkanen*' I, Teemu Gunnar!, Kari Ariniemi 1 , Pirjo Lillsunde 1 , Raissa Krasnova 2
lNational Public Health Institute, Laboratory of Substance Abuse, Helsinki, Finland
2Bureau of Forensic Medicine of Moscow Region, Department of Forensic Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
Phenazepam (1-bromo-5-( ortho-chloropheny 1)-2,3-dihydro-l H-l ,4-benzodiazepin-2-one) is white or white
with cream-coloured crystal powder that is insoluble in water and slightly soluble in ethanoL After a single
oral dose of 2 mg, the peak plasma concentrations of 8-15 ng/ml can be attained in 3-4 hours. Effective
therapeutic concentration for persons with neurosis is in the range of 30-10 ng/ml. Phenazepam is
comparable with lorazepam in respect of the dose and therapeutic action.
Phenazepam is not medically used in Finland. However it is misused. Therefore, a reliable and rapid
method for phenazepam analysis is necessary in Finland. In the present method the phenazepam was
analyzed together with diazepam, midazolam, alprazolam, nordiazepam, oxazepam, temazepam,
chlordiazepoxide, nitrazepam, bromazepam and lorazepam and their metabolites.
The GC-MS procedure contained liquid-liquid extraction and derivatization by N-methyl-N-(Ierlbutyldimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide
(MTBSTFA). Analysis was performed in selected ion monitoring
(SIM) mode. The developed method was validated and the reliability of the developed method was tested
on the basis of linearity, accuracy and precision. Phenazepam has been found among drivers suspected for
driving under influence. Year 2003 there were 20 positive phenazepam cases and the concentrations found
from Finnish drivers varied from 18 ng/ml to 400 nglml.
Keywords: Phenazepam, GC-MS, Quantitation
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