Current Status and Bioanalytical Challenges in The Detection of Unknown Anabolic Androgenic Steroids in Doping Control Analysis

Abstract

Androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) are prohibited in sports due to their anabolic effects. Doping control laboratories usually face the screening of AAS misuse by target methods based on MS detection. Although these methods allow for the sensitive and specific detection of targeted compounds and metabolites, the rest remain undetectable. This fact opens a door for cheaters, since different AAS can be synthesized in order to evade doping control tests. This situation was evidenced in 2003 with the discovery of the designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone. One decade after this discovery, the detection of unknown AAS still remains one of the main analytical challenges in the doping control field. In this manuscript, the current situation in the detection of unknown AAS is reviewed. Although important steps have been made in order to minimize this analytical problem and different analytical strategies have been proposed, there are still some drawbacks related to each approach.

In vitro metabolism studies of desoxy‐methyltestosterone (DMT) and its five analogues, and in vivo metabolism of desoxy‐vinyltestosterone (DVT) in horses

“…Pozo et al later proposed a more comprehensive method to detect unknown anabolic steroids and their metabolites based on precursor ion scanning of three ions ( m / z 105, m / z 91 and m / z 77) using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry . The detection of unknown anabolic androgenic steroids in doping control was recently reviewed . While these generic approaches to detect unknown steroids are valid and excellent concepts, there are limitations (such as uncertainty in detecting truly unknown substances), and these should only be used as complementary approaches.…”

Annual banned‐substance review: analytical approaches in human sports drug testing

“…In this context, a considerable challenge is presented by the ever‐increasing market of designer steroids for which different strategies have been installed in sports drug testing laboratories as recently summarized and reviewed by Abushareeda et al . and Pozo et al . A main pillar of doping controls concerning AAS has been the use of gas chromatography‐(tandem) mass spectrometry (GC‐MS/MS) with electron ionization (EI) especially due to the robust and reproducible nature of the provided analytical data that, amongst other features, allows for comprehensive steroid profiling ( vide infra ).…”

Doping control analysis of anabolic steroids in equine urine by gas chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry

“…The conventional method for the detection of anabolic steroids in biological samples is by the use of gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) . Liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) has become a compatible technique for doping control testing in sports in recent years as LC‐MS has the ability to handle heat labile and large biomolecules, with faster instrument turnaround time and better sensitivity . Although LC‐MS has been applied successfully to the doping control testing of many anabolic steroids in biological matrices, the detection of saturated hydroxysteroids or oxosteroids remains a problem as they exhibit low ionization efficiency under electrospray ionization (ESI).…”