Rapid (BNZ) Benzodiazepine Drug Test (Strip) description:

The Benzodiazepine Drug Test (BNZ Drug Test), or The Cortez Diagnostics, Inc. DOA (Drug of Abuse) test is an immunochromatography based one step in vitro test. The Benzodiazepine drug test is designed for qualitative determination of benzodiazepine drug substances in human urine specimen. This assay may be used in the point of care setting.

Benzodiazepines are a class of widely prescribed central nervous system depressants which have anxiolytic, hypnotic, anti-convulsant and muscle relaxant effects. Chronic abuse of benzodiazepine drugs can result in addiction and tardive dyskinnesia. Acute higher doses of benzodiazepine drugs lead to drowsiness, dizziness, muscle relaxation, lethargy, coma and possible death. The effects of benzodiazepines drug use last 4 – 8 hours. Many of the benzodiazepine drugs share a common metabolic route, and are excreted as oxazepam and its glucuronide in urine. Oxazepam is detectable in the urine for up to 7 days after drug use.

The Benzodiazepine Drug Testing device is based on the principle of specific immunochemical reaction between antibodies and antigens to analyze particular compounds in human urine specimen. The assay relies on the competition for binding antibody between drug conjugate and free drug which may be present in the urine specimen being tested.  When the benzodiazepine drug is present in the urine specimen, it competes with drug conjugate for the limited amount of antibody-dye conjugate. When the amount of the benzodiazepine drug is equal or more than the cut-off, it will prevent the binding of drug conjugate to the antibody. Therefore, a positive urine specimen on the Benzodiazepine drug test will not show a colored band on the test line zone, indicating a positive result, while the presence of a colored band indicates a negative result.  A control line is present in the test window to work as procedural control. This colored band should always appear on the control line zone if the benzodiazepine drug testing device is stored in good condition and the benzodiazepine drug test is performed appropriately.

This Benzodiazepine Drug Test (BNZ Drug Test) provides only a preliminary analytical test result. A more specific alternative chemical method must be used in order to obtain a confirmed analytical result. Gas chromatography/ mass spectrometry (GC/MS) has been established as the preferred confirmatory method by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Clinical consideration and professional judgment should be applied to any drug of abuse test result, particularly when preliminary positive results are indicated.

The optional built-in Adulteration Test is for validation of urine specimen’s integrity and must not be used for In Vitro diagnostic use.  The cutoff level for this Benzodiazepine Drug Test (BNZ Drug Test) is 300 ng/ml of oxazepam.   For customized cutoff level benzodiazepine drug tests, please contact Customer Service.  This Benzodiazepine Drug Test (BNZ Drug Test) is available in multi-panel, cassette, strip, or cup format.