Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry characterization of urinary metabolites of danazol after oral administration in human

Danazol (17α-pregna-2,4-dien-20-yno [2,3-d]-isoxazol-17β-ol), is a synthetic derivative of ethisterone, structurally related to stanozolol. For this reason its use as doping agent has been investigated. Danazol (Runch ®) (200 mg) were orally administered to two healthy male volunteers. Urine samples were colleted up to 1-week post-dose. Four new metabolites have been identified in addition to the five previously reported. We propose the monitorization of 6β-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-1,2-dehydroethisterone and 6β,16ξ-dihydroxy-2ξ-hydroxymethyl-ethisterone by free fraction analysis. In a same way, we proposed to detect the principal isomer of a mono-hydroxylated metabolite of 6β-hydroxy-2ξ-hydroxymethylethisterone in the conjugated fraction. We conclude that new metabolites can be included for the detection of danazol abuse since the main metabolite ethisterone is excreted relatively fast in urine.