Eugeroics were originally developed as possible sleep-disorder treatment options. Keeping in mind the neurotransmitters, neuroreceptors and other synaptic transmission pathways, drugs like Modafinil were developed as sleep-regulating mechanisms. The original purpose was to impact the psychological aspects resulting in disturbed sleep. Their aim being to work on the dopamine and serotonin pathways and treat excessive sleepiness through improved cognitive function. In due course, these developed into smart drugs with an increased demand to improve cognitive abilities of healthy persons.
For ethical, safety and legal purposes drug tests were developed in response to use of Modafinil 200mg Australia and other eugeroics. On the basis of these drug tests, a collective decision is taken regarding the academic and social future of the person. It is important to know a few lines about Modafinil and drug tests to be aware of the speculation surrounding them.
Modafinil
Modafinil was developed in the 1970s in France as a possible treatment option for narcolepsy. In course of time, it was approved for sleep disorders like narcolepsy, SWSD and as a concomitant medication for treatment of sleep apnea. It was the wakeful promoting effects of Modafinil that in due course of time led healthy people from various work spheres to use it for
– Improved phases of productivity in students and entrepreneurs
– People requiring the extra alertness to pull all-nighters
– Relief from jet lag symptoms
– Athletes and military personnel for improved stamina while undergoing strenuous physical activity
It is in response to these off label uses of Modafinil that drug tests started gaining importance.
Note :- There are many alternative of Modafinil in the market, but Modalert 200mg is one of the famous medicine to treat daytime sleepiness.
A word about drug tests
A drug test is a technical analysis of a biological specimen to determine the evidence of active drugs or their metabolites in the system. As a part of the test samples are taken from the hair, blood, breath, sweat and even urine of the person and analysed using chemical methods. The main purpose of drug test is to identify and help in early treatment of drug abuse problems.
Modafinil is not the first choice for drug testing. Higher potential psychostimulants like marijuana and amphetamines are usually given more importance. That said Modafinil drug testing is considered in cases of SWSD patients working night shifts who are often provided with Modafinil prescriptions. Modafinil drug testing is also mandatory while obtaining a prescription for driving heavy vehicles or operating heavy machinery to prevent road accidents or collision situations.
Sometimes drug tests may be conducted on Modafinil:
– As a part of standardized tests to rule out usage of any drug by the person
– To provide the younger generation with a safe and drug free environment
– To prevent a case of life threatening relapse in a recovering / recovered addict
– To prevent athletes or sports person from using drugs and enable provide all a fair scope of performance.
– For legal cases as a forensic evidence
– In patients previously using Modafinil, Adderall or other strong medications for chronic conditions
The aim is to cross check any drug misuse.
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How long does Modafinil stay in the system?
To understand the duration of Modafinil better, it is first important to have a better idea about its metabolism reactions. Modafinil, which is considered the active metabolite of a number of drugs, is broken down into inactive products during the process of metabolism. Named Modafinil sulphate and Modafinil acid, both have different concentrations in the compound.
While Modafinil Sulphate is found in trace amounts and considered insignificant, Modafinil acid constitutes 30-60 % of total Modafinil dose. It is metabolised and eliminated from the body irrespective of the dose and strength of Modafinil.
It takes Modafinil 15 hours to eliminate 50% and approximately 105 hours~ 4.4 days to eliminate 100% of the drug from the body.
Traces of Modafinil are found only in urine and blood samples. Drug traces are found in the urine between 48-72 hours of intake. Modafinil traces in blood samples last between 10-12 hours. Hair samples do not show any significant trace of Modafinil in them.
These are not constant factors
Modafinil traces remain in the body till it is completely eliminated from the system. There are a number of factors determining the elimination of Modafinil from the body.
Some of these factors are
Age
Older aged people or individuals above the age of 60 have decreased metabolic rates. Modafinil traces can be found in a much longer time in these cases.
Systemic issues
Systemic conditions like liver problems, gastric issues or kidney dysfunctions result in the drug taking a much longer time to break down in the body. This affects the absorption and metabolism rate simultaneously.
Concomitant use of medications
Modafinil is metabolised with the help of CYP3A4 enzyme. Any drugs interfering with this enzyme either slow down or improve the metabolic rates of the drug.
Gender
Clearance rate of Modafinil is faster in females than in males.
Presence of impurities if any
Impurities or contaminants can affect the absorption rate of Modafinil and make it harder to break down and be removed from the body.
Food intake
Clinical studies have proved that using Modafinil with food prolongs the peak activity period of Modafinil. This also delays the removal process of the drug and subsequently is discouraged by a number of health practitioners.
Types of drug tests conducted for testing Modafinil traces
The most common drug tests conducted by authorities for testing the traces of Modafinil in the body are
- Urine & Blood Tests
While urine tests can be tampered by drinking water or forcibly regurgitation methods, blood tests cannot be tampered with or affected by food or fluid intake. Either of the samples are taken to identify Modafinil intake within 2-12 hours of administration. Next, they are analysed through an ‘immunoassay’ method to screen for drugs. As a result of its antigen targeted actions, the immunoassay method detects traces of Modafinil long after it has been removed from the body.
- Reagent Drug Testing
In this method, blood or urine samples are mixed with other chemicals to test the presence of the drug. In case of positive results, there is a change in the colour of the sample. Reagent testing is one of the quickest, cost effective methods of checking. It is used in a number of places for quick detection of Modafinil in the sample.
- Mass Spectrometry Drug Testing
In this method, the collected urine or blood sample is subjected to electron lasers. The components are ionised and sorted on the basis of mass to identify Modafinil mass in the provided sample. The important advantage of this method is apart from Modafinil, it provides information about other drugs as well present in the system.
- Gas Chromatography Drug Testing
Gas Chromatography is an older method of drug testing similar to mass spectrometry. Except that in this method UV light is used for the products collected on the basis of their molecular weight. A series of uniquely identifying data points are collected and compared to the baseline of Modafinil or other banned substances for checking if they overlap.
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Can you predict the outcome of the test?
The chance of producing a false-positive or false-negative result is relatively less in the method because of the sophisticated technologies used for detection of Modafinil. Modafinil can be detected accurately in the smallest of samples because of its molecular properties. Whether Modafinil will show in your test results or not depends on the time interval between medicine intake and sample collection.
For the test results to be negative, there has to be an interval of at least 80 hours between the two parameters or more. In cases of poor metabolic rates or the pure form of Modafinil used drug traces are found even after an interval of 7 days in the system.
The Prevention Factor
Various companies, sports associations and military teams advise drug tests for detection of Modafinil:
– to rule out the possibility of the employee abusing drugs
– to provide a safe and fair working environment to everyone
Modafinil abuse can result in brain damage, irregular heart beat, psychological dependence and a number of other serious problems to the user. Additionally, Modafinil has been declared a Schedule IV medication. Because of the legal aspect involved with its use, positive drug results can disqualify candidates from attending tournaments and competitive events. Additionally, it can subject you to being penalized, face prosecution and even serve time in prison. To stay on the safe side, it is better to refrain from Modafinil use prior to the test and refrain from using it even in limited amounts.
Conclusion
Drug abuse is a serious issue. Modafinil misuse and its demand as a smart drug have resulted in a surge in black-marketing of the drug. This is not just a problem for smart drug users but even an issue for people with genuine sleep disorders.
Drug tests are important for making the person aware of their addiction behavior and helping them get the required help for their condition. They are also important for the safety of others in the vicinity of the people involved in the web of addiction. A strong awareness needs to be cultured amongst individuals regarding the importance of drug tests and to remove the stigma associated with the test. Government needs to conduct further research in the drug testing procedures to create better and effective drug testing options.
