Cocaine detection in hair: Effect of retroviral infection, age, morphine, and alcohol

Abstract

Factors affecting the deposition of cocaine into hair and the relationships between those concentrations, survey questionnaire results and natural killer cell activities were investigated. First, two and 18 month old mice were infected with LP-BM5, injected with cocaine, and hair cocaine content measured. There was no difference in cocaine concentration between the age groups. Retrovirally infection mice had greater amounts of cocaine in their hair. Next, a group of mice were fed an ethanol diet and injected with cocaine. There was a decrease in cocaine recovered in the hair of the ethanol-fed mice. In a group of human drug users no correlation was found between survey questionnaire answers and hair cocaine concentrations. There was a correlation between natural killer cell activity and hair cocaine concentrations. It was concluded that hair analysis for cocaine may have a place in clinical settings, but a predictive correlation between drug intake and hair concentration may not be possible.