Determination of nandrolone and metabolites in urine samples from sedentary persons and sportsmen

Abstract

Metabolites of nandrolone were determined in the urine of several sportsmen, sedentary and post-menopausal women by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry quadrupole (GC-MS) and capillary gas chromatography mass-mass spectrometry ion trap (GC-MS-MS) methods. The method employed was GC-EI-MS with 17alpha-methyltestosterone as internal standard with ethyl ether extraction prior to selected ion monitoring of the bis(trimethylsilyl) ethers at ion masses m/z 405 and 420 for the nandrolone metabolites, and 418 and 403 for nandrolone derivative. Recovery for nandrolone, 19-norandrosterone (19-NA) and 19-noretiocholanolone (19-NE) was 97.20, 94.17 and 95.54%, respectively. Detection limits for nandrolone, 19-NA and 19-NE were 0.03, 0.01 and 0.06 ng/ml. Metabolites of nandrolone (19-NA and 19-NE) were found in 12.5% (n = 40) of sportsmen and 40% (n = 10) of post-menopausal women.