NCJ Number
226521
Journal
Problems of Forensic Sciences Volume: 74 Dated: 2008 Pages: 168-172
Date Published
2008
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This study examined the influence of light, temperature, and time of storage on the concentration of the anticoagulant agent ticlopidine in blood, hair, and nails.
Abstract
Ticlopidine is a platelet-inhibiting drug that is mainly used to prevent ischemic strokes as well as coronary brain vessel thromboses in cases of hypersensitivity to other antithrombotic agents, especially acetylsalicylic acid. Study data show that ticlopidine is a very stable substance. Even if blood samples are not stored under optimum conditions (e.g., deep frozen or refrigerated), useful results can be obtained for at least 60 days. The results also suggest that hair and nails can be stored at room temperature, but preferably protected from light, so as to minimize the loss of ticlopidine. Spiked blood samples as well as hair and nail samples from patients treated with ticlopidine were stored in glass containers at +25 degrees C and +4 degrees C. Half of the samples were stored without exposure to light by covering the containers with aluminum foil. The samples were analyzed before storage, after 14 days, and again after 60 days. For the isolation of ticlopidine from the biological material, a liquid-liquid extraction procedure with n-hexane was used, achieving an extraction recovery of just over 80 percent. Ticlopidine determination was conducted by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry. 3 figures and 4 references