Non-invasive transdermal detection of analytes
First Claim
1. A method for the noninvasive transdermal detection of analytes present within a mammalian subject, comprising:
- contacting the skin of said subject with a pyrrolidone of the following formula in aqueous admixture,
wherein R1=H, CH3—
, HO—
CH2—
CH2—
, CH3—
CH2—
, or CH3—
(CH2)n—
, wherein n=1 to 11, R3=H, —
OH, CH3—
, or CH3—
(CH2)n—
, wherein n=1 to 11, R4=H, or methyloxycarbonyl, and R5=H, CH3—
, CH3—
CH2—
, or HO—
CH2—
CH2, for a time, no longer than 2 hours, sufficient to permit detectable amounts of said analyte to be extracted from said subject into said aqueous pyrrolidone mixture; and
then detecting said extracted analyte, wherein said analyte is a heavy metal.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for non-invasive extraction and/or detection of chemicals such as heavy metals, drugs such as cocaine and analytes such as blood glucose has been developed. A patch or hydrogel containing a reagent such as N-methyl pyrrole, or a similar compound, is used to extract the chemical or analyte to be measured through the skin or hair. This method is most useful for detecting analytes which are generally present in relatively constant blood concentrations. The method is particularly useful for the detection of heavy metals such as lead, lithium, copper, iron, and has been demonstrated to be useful with drugs such as cocaine and acetominaphen, and metabolic analytes like blood glucose. In the preferred embodiment, the method involves the use of the water miscible solvent N-methyl pyrrolidone (NMP) in an aqueous solution which is incorporated into an adsorbent pad or hydrogel. This adsorbent pad is placed on the skin for a defined time period, removed and then analyzed for the substance of interest. An analytical method can also be incorporated as part of the adsorbent pad in order to conduct both the extraction of the chemical of interest and the assay in situ. Examples demonstrating the very broad range of materials which can be extracted. Comparative examples demonstrate that the same results cannot be obtained using other reagents such as dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO).
86 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for the noninvasive transdermal detection of analytes present within a mammalian subject, comprising:
-
contacting the skin of said subject with a pyrrolidone of the following formula in aqueous admixture,
whereinR1=H, CH3—
, HO—
CH2—
CH2—
, CH3—
CH2—
, or CH3—
(CH2)n—
, wherein n=1 to 11,R3=H, —
OH, CH3—
, or CH3—
(CH2)n—
, wherein n=1 to 11,R4=H, or methyloxycarbonyl, and R5=H, CH3—
, CH3—
CH2—
, or HO—
CH2—
CH2,for a time, no longer than 2 hours, sufficient to permit detectable amounts of said analyte to be extracted from said subject into said aqueous pyrrolidone mixture; and
thendetecting said extracted analyte, wherein said analyte is a heavy metal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
separating said extracted analyte from said pyrrolidone mixture.
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18. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyte detection is qualitative.
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19. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyte detection is quantitative.
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20. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyte is detected colorimetrically.
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21. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyte is detected spectrophotometrically.
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22. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyte is detected chromatographically.
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23. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyte is detected by immunoassay.
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24. The method of claim 1, wherein said heavy metal is selected from the group consisting of lead, cadmium, mercury, lithium and copper.
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25. The method of claim 24, wherein said heavy metal is lead.
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26. The method of claim 24, wherein said heavy metal is cadmium.
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27. The method of claim 24, wherein said heavy metal is mercury.
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28. The method of claim 24, wherein said heavy metal is lithium.
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29. The method of claim 24, wherein said heavy metal is copper.
Specification