Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 5510 Nathan Shock Dr., Baltimore, MD, USA.
RTI International, Research Triangle Park, 3040 East Cornwallis Rd., NC, USA.
J Anal Toxicol. 2019 May 1;43(4):233-258. doi: 10.1093/jat/bky104.
Currently, an unprecedented number of individuals can legally access cannabis. Vaporization is increasingly popular as a method to self-administer cannabis, partly due to perception of reduced harm compared with smoking. Few controlled laboratory studies of cannabis have used vaporization as a delivery method or evaluated the acute effects of cannabis among infrequent cannabis users. This study compared the concentrations of cannabinoids in whole blood and oral fluid after administration of smoked and vaporized cannabis in healthy adults who were infrequent users of cannabis. Seventeen healthy adults, with no past-month cannabis use, self-administered smoked or vaporized cannabis containing Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) doses of 0, 10 and 25 mg in six double-blind outpatient sessions. Whole blood and oral fluid specimens were obtained at baseline and for 8 h after cannabis administration. Cannabinoid concentrations were assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) methods. Sensitivity, specificity and agreement between ELISA and LC-MS-MS results were assessed. Subjective, cognitive performance and cardiovascular effects were assessed. The highest concentrations of cannabinoids in both whole blood and oral fluid were typically observed at the first time point (+10 min) after drug administration. In blood, THC, 11-OH-THC, THCCOOH and THCCOOH-glucuronide concentrations were dose-dependent for both methods of administration, but higher following vaporization compared with smoking. THC was detected longer in oral fluid compared to blood and THCCOOH detection in oral fluid was rare and highly erratic. For whole blood, greater detection sensitivity for ELISA testing was observed in vaporized conditions. Conversely, for oral fluid, greater sensitivity was observed in smoked sessions. Blood and/or oral fluid cannabinoid concentrations were weakly to moderately correlated with pharmacodynamic outcomes. Cannabis pharmacokinetics vary by method of inhalation and biological matrix being tested. Vaporization appears to be a more efficient method of delivery compared with smoking.
目前，大量个体可以合法获得大麻。与吸烟相比，蒸气吸入作为一种自我给药的方法，由于其危害感知度降低，越来越受到欢迎。在很少使用大麻的人群中，用蒸气吸入作为给药方法的大麻控制实验室研究和评估大麻的急性效应都很少。本研究比较了健康的、很少使用大麻的成年人经蒸气吸入和吸烟给药后全血和口腔液中大麻素的浓度。17 名健康的、过去一个月没有使用大麻的成年人，在 6 次门诊双盲试验中，自行服用含有 Δ9-四氢大麻酚（THC）的蒸气吸入和吸烟大麻制剂，剂量为 0、10 和 25mg。在基线和给药后 8 小时采集全血和口腔液标本。用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）和液相色谱-串联质谱（LC-MS-MS）方法评估大麻素浓度。评估了 ELISA 和 LC-MS-MS 结果之间的敏感性、特异性和一致性。评估了主观、认知表现和心血管效应。通常在给药后第一个时间点（+10 分钟）观察到全血和口腔液中所有大麻素的浓度最高。在血液中，THC、11-OH-THC、THCCOOH 和 THCCOOH-葡糖苷酸浓度在两种给药方式下均呈剂量依赖性，但蒸气吸入比吸烟时更高。与血液相比，在口腔液中检测到 THC 时间更长，并且 THCCOOH 在口腔液中的检测很少且高度不稳定。对于全血，在蒸气条件下，ELISA 检测的检测灵敏度更高。相反，在吸烟试验中，口腔液的检测灵敏度更高。血液和/或口腔液大麻素浓度与药效学结果呈弱至中度相关。大麻的药代动力学因吸入方法和所测试的生物基质而异。与吸烟相比，蒸气吸入似乎是一种更有效的给药方法。
