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Detection of Heroin Use By Testing for Papaverine and Its Metabolites

Description

When a person uses opium, a number of compounds are excreted. Morphine is excreted in urine for several days while 6-acetyl morphine (6-AM) is detected in urine for up to 8 hours. Papaverine and its metabolites are additional markers of recent heroin use.


Papaverine occurs naturally in opium. It is carried over to heroin made from opium.

 

Papaverine is detectable for 1 or 2 days.

 

Its metabolites 6-desmethyl papaverine (6-DMP) and 4',6-disesmethyl papaverine (4,6-DDMP) are detectable in urine for up to 3 days.

 

Papaverine metabolites can be detected in urine samples negative for morphine and 6-AM.

 

References:

Seetohul LN, Maskell PD, et al. Biomarkers for illicit heroin: a previously unrecognized origin of papaverine. J Anal Toxicol. 2013; 37: 133.


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