Can Mucinex DM cause false positive drug tests?
By
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii, PhD, is a Pharmacist with expertise in Drug Design and Development, Enzymes, Molecular Modelling, and Photodynamic Therapy. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii’s Highlights:
- Postdoctoral fellow at the Department of Biochemistry at the University of São Paulo, emphasizing therapy of neglected diseases using light.
- PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences focusing on drug design and development at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of São Paulo.
- Six months as an international researcher at the Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases (University of California San Diego)
- Master’s degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences focusing on drug design and development at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the University of São Paulo.
- Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of Mogi das Cruzes – São Paulo / Brazil
Professional Experience:
2012 – 2018 Project manager at University of São Paulo – Pharmacy Department
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii has worked with computational studies, synthesis, biological evaluation, design, and development of new inhibitor candidates for Chagas Disease and Leishmaniasis.
2017 – 2017 International research fellow at University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences – Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases.
She used Virtual Screening (VS) and High-Throughput Screening (HTS) Integration in the Discovery of new drugs against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
2018 – 2019 Faculdades Oswaldo Cruz
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii was a professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy, teaching the subjects of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Drug Development.
2019 – 2021 Researcher in Biochemistry University of São Paulo – Biochemistry Department
She applied Photodynamic Therapy in Leishmaniasis Treatment, mentored undergraduate students in scientific activities, and wrote, executed, translated, and reported scientific projects with funding agencies.
2023-2023 UniPiaget – University Center.
Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii was a Biology, Nutrition, Physiotherapy, and Pharmacy professor.
Education:
2018 -2021 Postdoctoral at the Department of Biochemistry at the University of São Paulo
2013 -2018 PhD of Science: Drugs and Medicines at Department of Pharmacy at University of São Paulo
2012 -2013 M.Sc. of Sciences: Drugs and Medicines at the Department of Pharmacy at the University of São Paulo
2005-2008 Bachelor of Pharmacy at the University of Mogi das Cruzes
The leading publications of Dr Drielli Vital-Fujii are:
Vital-Fujii, D.G, Baptista, M.S. (2021). Progress in the photodynamic therapy treatment of Leishmaniasis. Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research, 54, 1-11.
Gatti, F. M., Gomes, R.A., da Fonseca, A.L., Lima, E.J.C., Vital-Fujii, D.G., Taranto, A.G., Varotti, F.P., Trossini, G.H.G. (2020). Antiplasmodial activity of sulfonylhydrazones: in vitro and in silico approaches. Future medicinal chemistry, 13, 233-250.
Silva, E.J., Bezerra-Souza, A., Passero, L.F., Laurenti, M.D., Ferreira, G.M., Fujii, D.G.V., et al. (2018). Synthesis, leishmanicidal activity, structural descriptors and structure-activity relationship of quinoline derivatives. Future medicinal chemistry, 10, 2069-2085.
Leite, F.H.A., Froes, T.Q., da Silva, S.G., de Souza, E.I.M., Vital-Fuji,i D.G., Trossini, G.H.G., et al. (2017). An integrated approach towards the discovery of novel non-nucleoside Leishmania major pteridine reductase 1 inhibitors. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 132, 322-332.
Vital, D.G., Damasceno, F.S., Rapado, L.N., Silber, A.M., Vilella, F.S., Ferreira, R.S., et al. (2017). Application of bioisosterism in design of the semicarbazone derivatives as cruzain inhibitors: a theoretical and experimental study. Journal of Biomolecular Structure and Dynamics, 35, 1244–1259.
Mello, J. F.R., Gomes, R.A., Vital-Fujii, D.G., Ferreira, G.M., Trossini, G.H.G. (2017). Fragment-based drug discovery as alternative strategy to the drug development for neglected diseases. Chemical Biology & Drug Design, 90, 1067-1078.
Pantaleao, S.Q., Fujii, D.G.V., Maltarollo, V.G., da C. Silva, D., Trossini, G.H.G., Weber, K.C., et al. (2017). The Role of QSAR and Virtual Screening Studies in Type 2 Diabetes Drug Discovery. Medicinal Chemistry, 13, 706-720.
Vital, D., Arribas, M., Trossini, G. (2014). Molecular Modeling and Docking Application to Evaluate Cruzain Inhibitory Activity by Chalcones and Hydrazides. Letters in Drug Design and Discovery, 11, 249-255.
Blau, L., Menegon, R.F., Trossini, G.H.G., Molino, J.V.D., Vital, D.G., Cicarelli, R.M.B., et al. (2013). Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of new aryl thiosemicarbazone as antichagasic candidates. European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 67, 142-151.
You can view some of Dr Drielli’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Orcid: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9270-0466
Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Drielli-Gomes-Vital-Fujii
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=55829534000
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=F9U50AEAAAAJ&hl=pt-BR
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/driellivital
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/6101380/drielli-gomes-vital
CDIPD: https://cdipd.org/index.php/about-us/visiting-scientists
Can Mucinex DM cause false positive drug tests?
Mucinex DM is not likely to cause a false positive drug test. However, it does contain Dextromethorphan, which is a cough suppressant (1). Dextromethorphan does have some chemical similarities to Opioids and that could cause a false positive drug test, but that is extremely rare (2).
Even if you struggle with a Dextromethorphan-induced false positive drug test, there are more selective confirmatory tests to help you determine the exact chemical causing such a result.
The primary method of drug test is through urine immunoassay and this method is not so promising. The antibodies present in the technique can mistakenly bind with Dextromethorphan, and this could give a false positive for Opioids. (2)
Techniques like Gas Chromatography – Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS) are more sensitive and can be used if the urine analysis fails to work well. (3)
How long does Dextromethorphan stay in your system?
Dextromethorphan, the active ingredient in many cough medicines, can stay in your system for about 2 to 4 days (4). However, this can vary depending on factors such as age, metabolism, and the dose you took.
After taking a dose, your body breaks down the dextromethorphan, and it is eventually eliminated from your system through urine and faeces.
It’s important to follow the recommended dosage instructions and not take more than what is advised on the label to avoid any potential risks or side effects associated with higher doses.
How to prevent Mucinex DM from causing a false positive in a drug test?
To prevent Mucinex DM from causing a false positive in a drug test, it’s essential to inform the testing facility or healthcare provider about any medications you are currently taking.
As we have discussed, Mucinex DM contains Dextromethorphan, which could potentially show up as a false positive for opioids in some drug tests. Providing this information beforehand allows the test administrators to take it into account and interpret the results accurately.
If you are concerned about potential false positives, you can also ask for a confirmation test to verify the specific substances in your system. Always follow the recommended dosage and use Mucinex DM as directed to minimize any potential risks.
If you have any doubts or questions, don’t hesitate to talk to your healthcare provider before the drug test to ensure accurate results.
Was this helpful?
References
1.-
LABEL: MUCINEX DM- guaifenesin and dextromethorphan hydrobromide tablet, extended-release. DailyMed [Internet]. Available from: https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/getFile.cfm?setid=70987d06-d206-445f-bd0d-5e1345b8465c&type=pdf
2.-
Alyson Schwebach, Jennifer Ball. Urine Drug Screening: Minimizing False Positives and False Negatives to Optimize Patient Care. US Pharm. 2013;38(12):1-6. Available at: https://www.uspharmacist.com/article/urine-drug-screening-minimizing-false-positives-and-false-negatives-to-optimize-patient-care
3.-
Ramoo B, Funke M, Frazee C, Garg U. Comprehensive Urine Drug Screen by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). Methods Mol Biol. 2016;1383:125-31. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-3252-8_15. PMID: 26660182. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26660182/
4.-
PubChem [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information; 2004-. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 5360696, Dextromethorphan; [cited 2023 July 19]. Available from: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Dextromethorphan
