earticle

영어

Oral fluid is inexpensive, non-invasive and easy-to-use, sample collection is also easier than blood. Detection window of drug for oral fluid is less than 24 h, so detection of drugs in saliva may indicate recent drug use. Because oral fluid show similar pharmacokinetics to plasma, it is possible to be used as a surrogate to plasma in the screening of drugs of abuse in oral fluid. Even though drug analysis in oral fluid has many advantages compared to blood and/or urine, drug analysis in saliva have not been performed in Korea. In this study, drug analysis in oral fluid and its application in Korean forensic science were discussed. The physiology of saliva, pharmacokinetics of illicit drugs in oral fluid were reviewed, and our recently reported researches were also summarized. Target drugs in this study were methamphetamine, tetrahydrocannabinol(THC), phenethylamines, ketamine, benzodiazepines and zolpidem. It is very useful to apply oral fluids as an alternative specimen of urine and/or blood for illicit drug analysis in forensic science.