Page 155 - Advances in Forensic Applications of Mass Spectrometry - Jehuda Yinon

1522_C03.fm Page 138 Thursday, November 13, 2003 9:53 AM

Using quite the same method (except for the internal standard where
nandrolone-d was used), the same group developed a procedure to test for
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nandrolone, the most abused anabolic agent. The limit of detection of the
assay was 0.5 pg/mg. Nandrolone tested positive in the hair of 3 athletes at
the concentration of 1, 3.5 and 7.5 pg/mg.
Nandrolone is metabolized to norandrosterone and noretiocholanolone.
Other 19-norsteroids, such as norandrostenedione or norandrostenediol,
which are classified as anabolic androgenic steroids by the IOC, are available
over the counter or through the Internet and have the same metabolites as
nandrolone. Although norandrostenediol and norandrostenedione are
banned by the IOC, there is a great need in forensic science and for a survey
of athletes to discriminate nandrolone from other 19-norsteroids. This is
obviously not possible in urine, as the metabolites are common. Hair can
identify the exact nature of the parent compound (e.g., nandrolone, noran-
drostenediol, or norandrostenedione, in case of positive urine for norandros-
terone), as it has been accepted by the scientific community that the parent
compound is the major analyte that is incorporated in hair. Thus, hair anal-
ysis would discriminate nandrolone abuse from over-the-counter prepara-
tions containing 19-norsteroids. Recently, our laboratory was requested by
an attorney to evaluate potential doping practices by an athlete. The 30-year-
old subject tested positive for norandrosterone in urine at 230 ng/ml. The
analysis was done in an accredited laboratory, but the athlete denied the
result. The analysis of a strand of hair obtained from the athlete revealed the
presence of 19-norandrostenedione at the concentration of 7 pg/mg, mak-
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ing an unique distinction with nandrolone doping.
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In 1999, two male bodybuilders were arrested by French Customs in
possession of 2050 tablets and 251 ampules of various anabolic steroids. It
was claimed that the steroids were for personal use and not for trafficking as
suggested by the police. Hair from both males were positive for nandrolone
(196 and 260 pg/mg), testosterone (46 and 71 pg/mg), and stanozolol (135
and 156 pg/mg), clearly indicating steroids abuse.
In a series of 7 steroid abusers, Deng et al. identified nandrolone (20
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pg/mg) and methyltestosterone (170 pg/mg).
More recently, Dumestre-Toulet et al., in a case of trafficking of doping
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agents, identified by GC/MS nandrolone (1 to 7.5 pg/mg, n = 3), stanozolol
(2 to 84 ng/mg, n = 4), methenolone (17 and 34 pg/mg), testosterone enan-
thate (0.6 to 18.8 ng/mg, n = 5), and testosterone cypionate (3.3 and 4.8
ng/mg) in the hair of bodybuilders.
As a full example, the procedure to test for endogenous anabolics in this
laboratory is described in detail.
The hair was decontaminated twice using 5 ml of methylene chloride for
2 min at room temperature, and then was pulverized in a ball mill. A total

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