ACCUMULATION OF COCAINE IN MATERNAL AND FETAL HAIR - THE DOSE-RESPONSE CURVE

Cocaine and its major metabolites are incorporated into hair during the growth of the shaft and stay there for the whole life of the hair. Cocaine crosses the placenta and its metabolites for example Benzoylecgonine (BZ), have been found in neonatal urine, meconium and hair. In order to utilize hair measurements of cocaine as a biological marker of systemic exposure, we conducted both animal and human investigations on the dose response characteristics of this phenomenon. Our data suggest that both maternal and fetal accumulation of cocaine and its metabolite follow a linear pattern within the clinically used doses. Similarly, a good correlation was observed in animals between maternal dose and fetal hair accumulation.