Opiates, Urine Screen UDRG4

• Urine specimens may be collected in plastic (i.e., polypropylene, polycarbonate, polyethylene) or glass containers. Some plastics, other than those listed, can adsorb certain drugs.
• If not analyzed immediately, specimens may be stored at room temperature at 15 - 25^o C for up to 7 days following collection. After 7 days, specimens should be stored frozen at <= -20^o C. Frozen specimens must be completely thawed and mixed thoroughly prior to analysis.
• Specimens with high turbidity should be centrifuged before analysis. The recommended pH range for urine specimens is 3.0 - 11.0. Adulteration of the urine specimen may cause erroneous results. If adulteration is suspected, obtain another specimen. Human urine specimens should be handled and treated as if they are potentially infectious.

The Beckman Coulter AU Opiate (300 cutoff) method is for the in vitro diagnostic use in the qualitative determination of opiates in human urine. It provides only a preliminary test result; a more specific alternative chemical method must be used to obtain a confirmed analytical result, such as with Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS). Clinical consideration and judgment should be applied to any drug of abuse test result, particularly in evaluating a preliminary positive result. Opiates are rapidly metabolized and excreted into the urine. Excretion takes place over a period of a couple of days. Opiates can be detected in the urine for 1 to 2 days.

Opiates are a class of compounds that includes morphine, codeine, and heroin. Morphine and codeine are naturally occurring alkaloids that are found in opium, a substance exuded from the unripe seedpod of the opium poppy, Papavar somniferum. Heroin is a semi-synthetic derivative of morphine.

Morphine is a potent analgesic. Codeine is used in analgesic preparations and as a cough suppressant. Heroin is an even more potent analgesic than morphine. Both morphine and codeine are legitimate drugs. Heroin is a drug of abuse that may be snorted, smoked, or dis­solved and injected subcutaneously or intravenously.

Opiates are absorbed rapidly. Heroin is converted almost immediately to morphine, which is excreted in urine both unchanged and as a glucuronidated metabolite. Codeine is excreted in urine as a glucuronidated conjugate, as free and conjugated norcodeine, and as morphine. The presence of opiates in the urine indicates the use of heroin, morphine, and/or codeine.

The Emit II Plus Opiate Assay tests for morphine, morphine-3-glucuronide, and codeine in human urine and gives a positive result if any of these opiates are present. It also detects synthetic opiates related to morphine, such as hydromorphone, and high concentrations of the analgesic meperidine and the narcotic antagonist nalorphine. Positive results for specimens containing other compounds structurally unrelated to opiates have not been observed.