Doping control analysis of lithium in horse urine and plasma by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Abstract

Lithium salts are commonly prescribed to treat bipolar disorder in humans. They are effective for the treatment of acute mania and the prophylaxis of manic relapses through long-term use. Although there is no reported legitimate therapeutic use of lithium in horses, its potential mood-stabilizing effect, low cost, and ready availability make lithium salt a potential agent of abuse in equine sports, especially for equestrian competition horses. Lithium can be found in soil, plants, and water, as such it is naturally present in the equine body, thus a threshold is necessary to control its misuse in horses. This paper describes the validation of quantification methods for lithium in equine urine and plasma using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Based on a population study of lithium in horse urine and an administration study using a single oral dose of lithium chloride (100 mg) to mimic the daily lithium intake from a diet rich in lithium, a urinary threshold of 5 μg/mL was proposed. Applying this urinary threshold to two other administration studies (a single oral dose of 65 g of lithium chloride, and a single intravenous dose of 2.54 g of lithium chloride), excessive lithium in urine could be detected for 8 days and 2.5 days respectively. The concentrations of lithium in plasma following these three lithium chloride administration trials were also studied.

Doping detection in animals: A review of analytical methodologies published from 1990 to 2019

“…Other studies in horses have addressed the pharmacokinetics, disposition, and detection of the antiulcer drugs cimetidine, ranitidine, and omeprazole in plasma 311,312 and urine 312 ; the vasodilators isoxsuprine 313 and sildenafil 314 in urine and plasma; the antibiotic metronidazole in plasma 315 ; the antitussive dextromethorphan in plasma and urine 316 ; the expectorant guaifenesin in serum 317 ; the mood stabilizer lithium in urine and plasma 318 ; the solvent dimethyl sulfoxide in plasma and urine 319 ; phosphorothioated oligonucleotides in plasma 44 ; and the narcotics fentanyl in urine, 320 hydromorphone in urine, 26 and morphine in hair 38,321 and urine 322 …”

“…xsuprine 313 and sildenafil 314 in urine and plasma; the antibiotic metronidazole in plasma 315 ; the antitussive dextromethorphan in plasma and urine 316 ; the expectorant guaifenesin in serum 317 ; the mood stabilizer lithium in urine and plasma 318 ; the solvent dimethyl sulfoxide in plasma and urine 319 ; phosphorothioated oligonucleotides in plasma 44 ;…”

Lithium Content and Its Nutritional Beneficence, Dietary Intake, and Impact on Human Health in Edibles from the Romanian Market

“…Lithium (Li) is naturally distributed in the environment, commonly found in various matrices, such as drinking water and food webs (especially vegetables), as input from natural and anthropogenic sources [1]. Li has valuable uses, which has determined an increasing demand on the world market that implicitly addresses environmental reasons for remediation caused by the poisoning of natural ecosystems [2,3].…”

Advances in equine anti‐doping

“…Recent progress in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS) analysis is highlighted by the large‐scale collaborative work of Popot et al presenting interlaboratory reproducibility for the measurement of cobalt in equine urine and plasma. The scope of trace elements of interest to racing continues to expand with Choi et al reporting the application of lithium analysis for equine urine and plasma samples to propose a urinary threshold of 5 μg/mL.…”