Detection of morphine in mane hair of horses.

The study examines whether hair from horses can be analyzed for the presence of morphine, a common abuse drug, and if the drug’s dosage and the timing of exposure can be deduced from such analysis. This could provide a valuable addition to forensic evidence in resolving disputes over the use of prohibited drugs in competitive events.

Research Focus

• The research aims to validate the utility of equine hair samples to confirm exposure of competition horses to prohibited drugs, estimate the dosage, and establish the timing and frequency of exposure.
• The hypothesis tested was whether morphine administration to horses can be deduced from mane hair analysis and if the drug deposition is dose-dependent.

Research Methodology

• The study involved four healthy Thoroughbred mares that had never been administered any type of opiate.
• The mares’ manes were clipped and all four horses were administered sedative to prevent any injury.
• Two horses were given high-dose morphine and the other two received a low-dose. The dosage pattern was alternated in the subsequent month.
• Hair growth was consistently monitored and after 2 months from the last dosage, mane hair was harvested for analysis.
• The hair sections were chopped to small pieces, weighed and then treated with various solvents to extract the morphine.
• Morphine presence was confirmed with two methods: Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay (FPIA) and Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).

Research Findings

• The research confirmed that morphine presence could be detected in the hair samples of the horses that were administered the drug.
• Even the hair from the month following the last dosage contained traces of morphine, indicating a residual morphine presence or ‘carry-over’.
• The samples from the horses that received the high-dose morphine contained more of the drug as compared to the low-dose samples, establishing a correlation between the dosage and drug concentration in hair.
• The average growth rate of the hair was observed to be 0.059 cm/day and it was fairly constant during the study period, making it a reliable denominator for estimating timing of drug administration.

Research Implications

• The study validates that hair analysis can potentially be used to confirm exposure of horses to morphine and to corroborate the timing of its exposure.
• The results also suggest that hair analysis can potentially aid in resolving conflicting histories of continued low-grade exposure versus single and multiple large bolus drug doses.
• As a future scope, the methodology could be extended to investigating exposure to other drugs as well.

Conclusion of the Research

• The authenticity of the methodology was supported by part funding from the Illinois Department of Agriculture Equine Research Fund.