In Vivo and In Vitro Evaluation of PTeCA (1H-Pyrrole-2,3,4,5-Tetracarboxylic Acid) in Hair Matrix as a Marker for Oxidative Cosmetic Treatment

    March 2026 in “ Drug Testing and Analysis ”
    Sara Casati, Alessandro Ravelli, Roberta F. Bergamaschi, Agata Magliocco, Sofia Vanerio, Gabriella Roda, Paola Rota, Marica Orioli, Alessio Battistini
    TLDR PTeCA is a reliable marker for detecting oxidative hair treatments.
    The study evaluated the use of 1H-pyrrole-2,3,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid (PTeCA) as a marker for oxidative cosmetic treatments in hair. Using a validated LC-MS/MS method, researchers analyzed 3378 hair samples, distinguishing between treated (T) and untreated (UT) groups. In the UT group, PTeCA was detected in less than 2% of samples, while in the T group, it was found in 243 samples with a median concentration of 0.40 ng/mg. The study confirmed that PTeCA formation occurs only under oxidative conditions, suggesting its reliability as a marker for oxidative hair treatments. A PTCA cut-off value was also proposed using PTeCA as the gold standard.
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