Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Brian Rossi, Francesca Freni, Claudia Carelli, Matteo Moretti, Dario Galatone, Claudia Vignali, Luca Morini
Summary: A liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed and validated for the detection of new designer benzodiazepines and traditional ones. The method was proven useful in detecting both types of benzodiazepines in real urine samples, highlighting the need for updated analytical procedures to include as many substances as possible.
CURRENT PHARMACEUTICAL DESIGN
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Katarina Bolte, Marek Dziadosz, Naomi Kono, Benedikt Vennemann, Michael Klintschar, Joerg Teske
Summary: The study analyzed benzodiazepines, opioids, and other drugs in exhumed brain and liver tissue samples from 116 cases after long periods of burial. Despite the time elapsed, a majority of the drugs were still detectable in the tissues, providing valuable insights for future exhumations requiring toxicological analyses.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2021)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Anna Welz, Marcin Koba, Piotr Koslinski, Joanna Siodmiak
Summary: Recreational use of piperazine designer drugs poses a serious threat to human health. These compounds have similar effects to illegal drugs and can induce psychostimulatory effects and hallucinations. The presence of multiple psychoactive substances, including piperazine derivatives, has been found in many poisoning cases, which presents challenges in their identification. This article compares the methods of detecting abused piperazine designer drugs using liquid chromatography with a diode-array detector (LC-DAD) or mass spectrometer (LC-MS). Both methods can be used independently or complement each other to provide reliable results for qualitative and quantitative confirmation. The proposed methods can aid in toxicological diagnostics and analytical confirmation of poisonings.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Medicine, Legal
Martin M. Kimani, Skyler W. Smith, Adam Lanzarotta, Jana L. Brueggemeyer, JaCinta S. Batson
Summary: The emergence of illicit designer benzodiazepines without approved clinical use is a great concern for public health in the US. This study developed robust analytical methods using Raman spectroscopy, SERS, FT-IR spectroscopy, and LC-MS to rapidly detect these chemicals. Micro-extraction procedures were also developed for sample preparation. The developed SERS and FT-IR procedures could be used in satellite laboratories to screen suspect packages and prioritize samples for additional laboratory-based analyses.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Anna Welz, Marcin Koba, Piotr Koslinski, Joanna Siodmiak
Summary: Piperazine derivatives are popular psychostimulating compounds sought by consumers for recreational use due to their stimulating effects. Despite being found in NPS-related poisonings and deaths, confirming the involvement of piperazine derivatives in poisoning can be challenging. A new rapid detection method using LC-MS has been proposed to provide analytical confirmation of poisoning with piperazine designer drugs.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Medical Laboratory Technology
Ka Keung Chan, Andrea J. Moore, Andrew N. Hoofnagle, Geoffrey S. Baird, Hsuan-Chieh Liao
Summary: A new LC-MS/MS assay was developed for benzodiazepine detection in urine, and it was found that the illicit use of non-prescribed benzodiazepines is increasing nationally. The inclusion of new drugs in the testing panel significantly reduced false positive results. The most common benzodiazepines detected were clonazepam and alprazolam, with etizolam and flualprazolam also prevalent in Washington State. This study is of great importance for identifying and treating benzodiazepine abuse.
CLINICA CHIMICA ACTA
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yury Kostyukevich, Elena Stekolshikova, Anna Levashova, Anna Kovalenko, Anna Vishnevskaya, Anton Bashilov, Albert Kireev, Boris Tupertsev, Lidiia Rumiantseva, Philipp Khaitovich, Sergey Osipenko, Eugene Nikolaev
Summary: The administration of low doses of D2O has been used for decades to investigate metabolic pathways and measure compound turnover rate. Previously, the uptake of deuterium in lipids was mainly studied using GC-MS instruments, but recent untargeted LC-MS/MS lipidomics approaches have been employed. In this study, the deuterium uptake in over 500 lipids was investigated in 13 organs and body fluids of mice after 4 days of 100% D2O administration. The highest deuteration was observed in the liver, plasma, and lung, while lower levels were found in the brain and heart. The incorporation of deuterium in palmitic and stearic fragments in lipids was demonstrated using MS/MS, but not in the corresponding free forms. The results were analyzed based on lipid metabolic pathways.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Zhendong Chen, Liang Li, Yan Zhan, Yifan Zhang, Haiyan Liu, Jianjun Zou, Dafang Zhong
Summary: Henagliflozin is a specific inhibitor of SGLT2 proposed for T2DM treatment. This study identified 8 metabolites of henagliflozin in human plasma and urine, focusing on the glucuronidation and O-deethylation pathways. A LC-MS/MS method was developed for quantification of M5-1, M5-2, and M5-3 in human plasma.
JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICAL AND BIOMEDICAL ANALYSIS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Anna Roszkowska, Natalia Treder, Alina Plenis, Natalia Miekus, Ilona Oledzka, Piotr Kowalski, Tomasz Baczek
Summary: This study compared and optimized two microextraction strategies for the extraction of four immunosuppressants in biofluids. The results showed that one strategy exhibited better performance for the extraction of a novel immunosuppressive drug.
SUSTAINABLE CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Heba Badr, Ron Blutrich, Kaitlin Chan, Jiefei Tong, Paul Taylor, Wen Zhang, Ran Kafri, Hannes L. Rost, Ming-Sound Tsao, Michael F. Moran
Summary: Proteome analysis revealed co-expressed upregulated metabolism proteins highly conserved between primary NSCLC and patient-derived xenograft tumors. The encoded genes of these proteins are associated with the survival of NSCLC patients, suggesting their role in driving NSCLC through metabolic processes.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Myriam Bustamante-Rangel, Maria Milagros Delgado-Zamarreno, Encarnacion Rodriguez-Gonzalo
Summary: A simple and sensitive method has been developed for the analysis of anthelmintic drugs in milk, involving extraction using QuEChERS method and separation and determination by LC-MS/MS. This method provides high sensitivity for the determination of anthelmintics in milk samples and can be successfully used for routine analysis.
JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Nouman Almofti, Soledad Gonzalez-Rubio, Ana Ballesteros-Gomez, Eloy Girela, Soledad Rubio
Summary: This study optimized and validated a simple, time-saving, and environmentally friendly sample preparation method using supramolecular solvents (SUPRAS) for the extraction of selected drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) substances from human urine. The method involved stirring, centrifugation, and dilution, and the SUPRAS extracts were analyzed by LC-MS/MS. The method was successfully validated for various DFSA compounds, with high extraction efficiency and acceptable matrix effects, making it suitable for monitoring illegal drugs in DFSA cases by forensic laboratories.
ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Fernanda R. R. Castro-Moretti, Jean-Christophe Cocuron, Humberto Castillo-Gonzalez, Efrain Escudero-Leyva, Priscila Chaverri, Oliveiro Guerreiro-Filho, Jason C. C. Slot, Ana Paula Alonso
Summary: The aim of this study was to develop a high-throughput workflow to identify and quantify plant polyphenols. A method was optimized for extracting over 40 families of phytochemicals and a high-throughput metabolomic platform was developed to identify and quantify 184 polyphenols in 15 min.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Elena E. Mitsika, Christophoros Christophoridis, Nikolaos Kouinoglou, Nikolaos Lazaridis, Constantinos K. Zacharis, Konstantinos Fytianos
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the photocatalytic degradation of two benzodiazepine pharmaceuticals using Photo-Fenton, optimize experimental parameters through central composite experimental design, assess mineralization and toxicity variations, and identify transformation products and propose pathways.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Marina Bellot, Carlos Barata, Cristian Gomez-Canela
Summary: The study evaluated the stability of 17 neuroactive compounds in water and found that most compounds did not degrade, except for apomorphine and 6-hydroxydopamine which degraded completely within 24 hours. Most compounds altered motile responses to light in the crustacean Daphnia magna.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Simon D. Brandt, Pierce V. Kavanagh, Folker Westphal, Alexander Stratford, Peter Blanckaert, Geraldine Dowling, Matthias Grill, Hannes M. Schwelm, Volker Auwaerter, Stephen J. Chapman
Summary: LSD analogs like MIPLA are being sold on the street market, making it crucial to develop techniques to differentiate them from LSD. This study presents methods using gas chromatography-solid phase infrared spectroscopy and mass spectrometry to distinguish between MIPLA and LAMPA.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Toxicology
Arianna Giorgetti, Michaela J. Sommer, Maurice Wilde, Markus Grosse Perdekamp, Volker Auwaerter
Summary: Designer benzodiazepines (DBZDs) are increasingly appearing on the NPS market and carry a higher risk, especially when used in conjunction with other central nervous system depressants.
FORENSIC TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Kerstin Henkel, Miriam Klima, Volker Auwaerter, Markus J. Altenburger, Merja A. Neukamm
Summary: Non-mineralized dental biofilm has potential as a novel alternative matrix in forensic toxicology to prove drug use. The study found that the concentrations of methadone and morphine in plaque were related to the route of drug administration.
JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL TOXICOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Arianna Giorgetti, Rossella Barone, Guido Pelletti, Marco Garagnani, Jennifer Pascali, Belal Haschimi, Volker Auwaerter
Summary: The research aims to develop and validate a targeted liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for detection of novel psychoactive substances in whole blood. The method successfully identified 132 synthetic cannabinoids, 22 synthetic opioids, and 28 other synthetic drugs, with validation showing acceptable accuracy, precision, and linearity.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Simon D. Brandt, Pierce Kavanagh, Folker Westphal, Benedikt Pulver, Hannes M. Schwelm, Kyla Whitelock, Alexander Stratford, Volker Auwaerter, Adam L. Halberstadt
Summary: This study characterized a novel lysergamide N,N-diethyl-1-propanoyl-6-(prop-2-en-1-yl)-9,10-didehydroergoline-8 beta-carboxamide (1P-AL-LAD) using various analytical methods. In vitro metabolism studies confirmed that 1P-AL-LAD acted as a prodrug and converted to AL-LAD as the most abundant metabolite. 1P-AL-LAD induced dose-dependent head twitch response (HTR) in mice, similar to other hallucinogenic substances.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Arianna Giorgetti, Pietro Brunetti, Susi Pelotti, Volker Auwarter
Summary: The circulation of new psychoactive substances (NPS) in prisons poses health risks and challenges for the criminal justice system. In a suspected drug-infused letter from a German prison, toxicological analyses detected the presence of a novel synthetic opioid (NSO) AP-237, as well as synthetic cannabinoids (MDMB-4en-PINACA and 5F-ADB). This is the first time an NSO has been detected on drug-infused paper seized in a prison, highlighting the potential threat to the health of incarcerated individuals.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Benedikt Pulver, Jan Riedel, Folker Westphal, Steven Luhn, Torsten Schoenberger, Jan Schaeper, Volker Auwaerter, Anton Luf, Michael Puetz
Summary: Synthetic cathinones, such as 3,4-EtPV, have desirable effects and can be used as legal alternatives to banned substances. However, mislabeling and intentional circumvention of regulations can lead to the supply of illicit drugs instead of controlled ones. The study emphasizes the importance of updating databases in forensic laboratories to identify mislabeled substances and highlights the health risks and uncertainties associated with online purchases.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Pierce Kavanagh, Folker Westphal, Benedikt Pulver, Hannes M. Schwelm, Alexander Stratford, Volker Auwaerter, Stephen J. Chapman, Adam L. Halberstadt, Simon D. Brandt
Summary: This study describes the analysis of a novel lysergamides compound, 1cP-AL-LAD, using various chromatographic, mass spectrometric, and spectroscopic methods. The compound was found in both purchased samples and blotters sold online for recreational use. The findings provide valuable information for those interested in the chemistry of lysergamides.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Maja Bergerhoff, Bjoern Moosmann
Summary: Consumption of opioids is a global health problem, and the current gold standard for drugs of abuse screening has limitations. A urine assay based on the binding of compounds at the human mu-opioid receptor (MOR) was developed as a promising alternative screening tool. The assay demonstrated sensitivity and specificity in detecting opiate/opioid intake in urine samples, with fentanyl detection being the most challenging aspect. With further optimization, this novel assay could be a promising alternative to conventional methods.
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Arianna Giorgetti, Pietro Brunetti, Belal Haschimi, Francesco Paolo Busardo, Susi Pelotti, Volker Auwaerter
Summary: In this study, two ethyl analogs of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) were analyzed and suitable urinary markers were identified to prove their consumption. Through liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-qToF-MS) and in vitro experiments, the main metabolites of these two compounds were successfully identified, and the most suitable urinary biomarkers were determined. The findings of this study are important for the monitoring and detection of synthetic cannabinoids.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Simon D. Brandt, Pierce V. Kavanagh, Folker Westphal, Benedikt Pulver, Hannes M. Schwelm, Alexander Stratford, Volker Auwaerter, Adam L. Halberstadt
Summary: Preclinical investigations have shown that EIPLA exhibits LSD-like properties and can mimic the effects of known psychedelic drugs, making it important for forensic and clinical research.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Hannes Max Schwelm, Mattias Persson, Benedikt Pulver, Max Vincent Huss, Henrik Green, Volker Auwaerter
Summary: 1-(2,3-Dihydro-1H-inden-5-yl)-2-(piperidin-1-yl)pentan-1-one (3,4-Pr-PipVP), a new synthetic cathinone, was discovered in Germany in 2022. It was initially thought to contain a novel bicyclo[4.2.0]octatrienyl function but was later found to contain a scheduled indanyl ring. It is one of the few SCats with a piperidine ring and showed low potency as a blocker of monoamine transporters.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Pietro Brunetti, Diletta Berardinelli, Arianna Giorgetti, Hannes Max Schwelm, Belal Haschimi, Susi Pelotti, Francesco Paolo Busardo, Volker Auwaerter
Summary: Due to legal restrictions on fentanyl analogs, a new generation of acylpiperazine opioids called AP-238 has emerged on the illicit drug market. Recent investigations have focused on studying the metabolism of AP-238 to identify useful markers for drug consumption. Through in vitro and in vivo assays, a total of 32 metabolites of AP-238 have been identified, with hydroxylation being the main metabolic pathway. The detection of these metabolites has proven to be effective in confirming drug intake, especially in cases where small traces of the parent drug are present.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Johannes Kutzler, Aldo Eliano Polettini, Sergej Bleicher, Christoph Sauer, Wolfgang Schultis, Merja A. Neukamm, Volker Auwaerter
Summary: Although the use of synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) is increasing, they are rarely analyzed in abstinence control programs for driver's license regranting. This study analyzed hair samples from various regions in Germany to determine the prevalence of SCs. The analysis detected 181 SCs, with the most prevalent compounds being 5F-MDMB-PICA and MDMB-4en-PINACA. Hair sample analysis proved to be a valuable tool for monitoring SC use, and an up-to-date analytical method is essential to keep pace with newly emerging SC analogs.
DRUG TESTING AND ANALYSIS
(2023)
Article
Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical
Willi Schirmer, Volker Auwaerter, Julia Kaudewitz, Stefan Schuerch, Wolfgang Weinmann
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate an analytical method for the detection of HHC consumption. The results showed the presence of glucuronides of HHC and OH-HHC in urine samples. Other minor metabolites were also detected but could not be structurally identified.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MASS SPECTROMETRY
(2023)