Problems of Forensic Sciences 2004 Vol. 58 (LVIII) 45-57
THE INTERACTION BETWEEN ALCOHOL AND ESTAZOLAM
Wojciech LECHOWICZ1, Piotr ADAMOWICZ1, Ewa CHUDZIKIEWICZ1, Maria KAŁA1, Wojciech PIEKOSZEWSKI1, Ewa PUFAL2, Marzena SYKUTERA2, Karol ŚLIWKA2
1Institute of Forensic Research, Cracow
2Department of Forensic Medicine, L. Rydygier Medical University, Bydgoszcz
Streszczenie
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of ethyl alcohol on blood estazolam level, to assess the usefulness of saliva in testing for the presence of the drug and to present selected issues concerning safety of traffic. This paper presents the results of estazolam determinations in blood samples taken from 25 volunteers, who were given a single dose of 1 mg of the drug orally. The subjects also received a single dose of ethyl alcohol (0.6 g/kg of body weight) 3.5 h after drug intake. Blood samples for estazolam determination were taken 1, 2, 3, and 4 h after doses and for ethanol determination, 0.5 h after alcohol intake and 4 h after estazolam administration. The samples were analysed using a developed and validated LC/MS/APCI method. The method enabled estazolam determination at concentrations exceeding 0.5 ng/ml. The determined average levels of blood estazolam in the first three hours were 20.0 ng/ml; 22.7 ng/ml; and 23.9 ng/ml respectively. On the basis of pharmacokinetic calculations using the obtained results, the studied persons were divided into three subgroups characterised by different speeds of metabolism of estazolam. The obtained results also indicated that the interaction of estazolam with alcohol led to changes in its pharmacokinetic parameters. An increase (of at least 20 percent) in the average estazolam concentration (29.0 ng/ml) compared with the extrapolated value of this concentration without administration of alcohol was noted.
Słowa kluczowe
Estazolam, Ethyl alcohol, Interaction, Saliva, Blood.