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ArticleForensic toxicology2025

Incorporation of suvorexant and lemborexant into hair and their distributions after a single intake.

Atsushi Nitta, Noriaki Shima, Hiroe Kamata, Misato Wada, Kengo Matsumoto, Hidenao Kakehashi, Shihoko Nakano-Fujii, Shuntaro Matsuta, Tooru Kamata, Munehiro Katagi and 2 more

Abstract read
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Article in Forensic toxicology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Atsushi NittaForensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, 541-0053, Japan. a.nittahja56@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-7050-9051
Noriaki ShimaForensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, 541-0053, Japan.
Hiroe KamataForensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, 541-0053, Japan.
Misato WadaForensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, 541-0053, Japan.
Kengo MatsumotoForensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, 541-0053, Japan.
Hidenao KakehashiForensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, 541-0053, Japan.
Shihoko Nakano-FujiiForensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, 541-0053, Japan.
Shuntaro MatsutaForensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, 541-0053, Japan.
Tooru KamataForensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, 541-0053, Japan.
Munehiro KatagiDivision of Preventive and Social Medicine, Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 2-7 Daigaku-Machi, Takatsuki, Osaka, 569-8686, Japan.
Takako SatoDivision of Preventive and Social Medicine, Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, 2-7 Daigaku-Machi, Takatsuki, Osaka, 569-8686, Japan.
Hiroshi NishiokaForensic Science Laboratory, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters, 1-3-18 Hommachi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka, 541-0053, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study examined the applicability of hair analysis as an approach to identify suvorexant (SUV) and lemborexant (LEM) intake by analyzing black hair specimens collected from study participants after a single oral administration.

methodsHair specimens were collected form participants who took a single dose of 10 mg SUV or 5 mg LEM. Identification of the dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs) and their metabolites was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Reference standards of S-M9 and L-M4, the metabolites of SUV and LEM, respectively, were synthesized in our laboratory. Sectional analysis of 1-mm segments of the single-hair strands was also performed to investigate the incorporation behavior of the drugs into hair.

resultsUnchanged SUV and LEM, and their metabolites S-M9 and L-M4 were detected even in the single-hair specimens. Results of the segmental hair analysis showed predominant incorporation of the drugs into hair through the hair bulb region rather than through the upper dermis zone of the hair root. The drug concentrations in the hair specimens, collected about 1 month after intake, were 0.033-0.037 pg/hair strand (0.17-0.19 pg/mg) for SUV and 0.054-0.28 pg/hair strand (0.28-1.5 pg/mg) for LEM. The calculated distribution ratios of the DORAs into hair to the oral doses were much lower than those of benzodiazepines and zolpidem reported in a previous study.

conclusionsThis is the first report of the detection of the DORAs in hair. The incorporation behavior of the DORAs into hair revealed herein are crucial for proper interpretation of hair test results.

Indexed as

AzepinesHairOrexin Receptor AntagonistsPyridinesPyrimidinesSleep Aids, PharmaceuticalTriazolesAdministration, OralAdultChromatography, LiquidFemaleForensic ToxicologyHumansMaleMiddle AgedTandem Mass SpectrometryAzepineslemborexantOrexin Receptor AntagonistsPyridinesPyrimidinesSleep Aids, PharmaceuticalsuvorexantTriazolesDrug hair incorporationDrug testingDual orexin receptor antagonistLC–MS/MSSegmental hair analysisSexual assault

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.