Abstract

Analytical strategies in the detection of stimulants and narcotics in sports drug testing

Author(s): Sachin Dubey, Chandrakant P.Shinde,TejinderKaur, Alka Beotra, Shila Jain

The desire to win has led some athletes to resort to use of performance enhancing drugs since ancient times. The stimulants and narcotics represent one of the oldest classes of doping agents. The stimulants have a direct stimulating effect on the central nervous system (CNS), by increasing the excitation of brain and spinal cord, cardiac output and rate of metabolism. The four most notorious examples of stimulants that are used in sport are amphetamine, cocaine, ephedrine and caffeine. The narcotics are powerful pain killers like opiates buprenorphine, heroin, hydromorphone, morphine, oxymorphone, oxycodone, pethidine, dextromoramide, fentanyl and its derivatives. A critical overview of the contributions of analytical detection techniques viz. GC-NPD, GC-MSD and LC–MS/MS to testing of stimulants and narcotics in sports is provided, with special emphasis on mass spectrometry. The review also includesprevalence of misuse in sports of stimulants and narcotics.