Development and validation of a practical analytical method for Zolpidem as a drug facilitated crime tool

Zolpidem, as a member of Z-drugs, is a non-benzodiazepine, imidazopyridine derivative chemical substance used in the treatment of insomnia. This substance is frequently reported as a tool of drug facilitated crimes such as date rape, robbery, extortion etc besides drugged driving. A Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) method by a one step extraction method with ethyl acetate from urine using HP-5MS capillary column was developed for the determination of zolpidem. Clozapine was used as internal standard. Linearity range was between 10-200 μg mL -1. Limit of detection was 0.28 μg mL -1 , limit of quantification was 0.35 μg mL -1, the mean range of recoveries was between 93.40-94.41% for three spiked concentrations (15, 20 and 50 μg mL -1). The difference of concentrations for same samples analyzed at 7-day intervals was found 0.02 CV% for stability study. The reported method was found cheap, sensitive, rapid, and suitable for the analysis of the spiked beverages and foods as well as urine as evidences of sexual assault, robbery or intentional/ non-intentional intoxication phenomena.