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Lo Faro AF, Berardinelli D, Sprega G, Tini A, Carlier J, Farkas T, Busardò FP, Chankvetadze B. Development of an enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the quantitative determination of methorphan and its O-demethylated metabolite in human blood and its application to post-mortem samples. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2023; 230:115384. [PMID: 37044005 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2023.115384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
In the present work an isocratic enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the separation and quantitative determination of dextro - and levo -methorphan and their pharmacologically relevant metabolites, dextrorphan and levorphanol, respectively, in human blood samples. The separation of enantiomers of methorphan and metabolites was performed on the polysaccharide-based chiral column Lux AMP in combination with acetonitrile and 5 mM aqueous ammonium bicarbonate pH 11 in the ratio 50:50 (%, v/v) as mobile phase with the flow rate 1 mL/min. The mass spectrometer was operated in scheduled multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mode, with four transitions for each dextromethorpan, levomethorphan, dextrorphan and dextromethorphan-d3 and two transitions for each levorphanol, levorphanol-d3 and dextrorphan-d3. Application of this method to human post-mortem blood samples confirmed cases of severe overdosing with dextromethorphan, levomethorphan, and less commonly with both.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Fabrizio Lo Faro
- Department of Excellence-Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Diletta Berardinelli
- Department of Excellence-Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Giorgia Sprega
- Department of Excellence-Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Anastasio Tini
- Department of Excellence-Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Jeremy Carlier
- Department of Excellence-Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, Italy
| | - Tivadar Farkas
- Phenomenex Inc., 411 Madrid Ave., Torrance, 90501 CA, USA
| | - Francesco Paolo Busardò
- Department of Excellence-Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60121 Ancona, Italy.
| | - Bezhan Chankvetadze
- Tbilisi State University, Institute of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, School of Exact and Natural Sciences, 0179 Tbilisi, Georgia
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Ji JJ, Zhao J, Xiang P, Yan H, Shen M. Chiral analysis of dextromethorphan and levomethorphan in human hair by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Forensic Toxicol 2022; 40:312-321. [PMID: 36454412 DOI: 10.1007/s11419-022-00620-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Methorphan exists in two enantiomeric forms including dextromethorphan and levomethorphan. Dextromethorphan is an over-the-counter antitussive drug, whereas levomethorphan is strictly controlled as a narcotic drug. Chiral analysis of methorphan could, therefore, assist clinicians and forensic experts in differentiating between illicit and therapeutic use and in tracing the source of the drug. METHODS A method for enantiomeric separation and quantification of levomethorphan and dextromethorphan in human hair was developed and validated using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Hair was extracted in hydrochloric acid/methanol (1:20, v/v). The supernatant were separated using a Supelco Astec Chirobiotic™ V2 column (250 × 2.1 mm, i.d., 5 μm particle size) and analyzed on a triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometer in multiple reaction monitoring mode. RESULTS The limits of detection for dextromethorphan and levomethorphan were 2 and 1 pg/mg, respectively; the lower limit of quantification was 2 pg/mg for both drugs. Good linearity (r > 0.995) was observed for both analytes over the linear range. Precision values were below 10% for both analytes; accuracy values ranged from 87.5 to 101%. The extraction recoveries were 78.3-98.4%, and matrix effects were 70.5-88.6%. This method was applied to human hair samples from 120 people suspected of methorphan use to further distinguish the drug chirality. Dextromethorphan was detected in all 120 samples at a concentration range of 2.7-19,100 pg/mg, whereas levomethorphan was not detected in any sample. CONCLUSIONS A sensitive quantitative method was established for the enantiomeric separation of dextromethorphan and levomethorphan in hair. This is the first study to achieve chiral analysis of methorphan in human hair.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao-Jiao Ji
- Department of Forensic Medicine, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200032, China.,Department of Forensic Toxicology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Junbo Zhao
- Department of Forensic Toxicology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Ping Xiang
- Department of Forensic Toxicology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Hui Yan
- Department of Forensic Toxicology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai, 200063, China
| | - Min Shen
- Department of Forensic Toxicology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Forensic Medicine, Academy of Forensic Science, Shanghai, 200063, China.
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Ward K, Citrome L. AXS-05: an investigational treatment for Alzheimer's disease-associated agitation. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2022; 31:773-780. [PMID: 35763451 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2022.2096006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Agitation is common in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Although nonpharmacologic de-escalation strategies are recommend as first-line treatment, medication is often needed to treat agitation. Currently, there are no FDA-approved medications for this indication. Psychotropics used to treat agitation include antipsychotics, which are notable for their efficacy but also their potential to cause serious side effects. AXS-05, a combination of dextromethorphan and bupropion, is currently being investigated for this indication. AREAS COVERED This review will discuss the pharmacology of AXS-05 and available clinical trial results from completed Phase I and Phase II/III studies assessing the potential for this compound to treat agitation in patients with AD. Ongoing research investigating AXS-05 for this indication will also be highlighted. Resources used for this review include PubMed, Embase, clinicaltrials.gov, and literature available on the manufacturer's website. EXPERT OPINION Early released clinical trial data indicate that AXS-05 may be a useful option to treat agitation in patients with AD, and that it appears to be generally well tolerated. AXS-05 may be especially helpful for patients with comorbid depression, when considering available data from separate phase III studies assessing the efficacy and safety of this compound in the treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Ward
- Clinical Pharmacy Department, University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Leslie Citrome
- Clinical Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, New York Medical College, Valhalla, NY, USA
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Wu X, Li Z, Lin J, Huang Z, Chen F. Engineered Cyclohexylamine Oxidase with Improved Activity and Stereoselectivity for Asymmetric Synthesis of a Bulky Dextromethorphan Precursor and Its Analogues. ChemCatChem 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/cctc.202101970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofan Wu
- Fudan University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Zhining Li
- Fudan University Department of Chemistry CHINA
| | - Juan Lin
- Fuzhou University College of Chemical Engineering CHINA
| | - Zedu Huang
- Fudan University Chemistry Department 220 Handan Road 200433 Shanghai CHINA
| | - Fener Chen
- Fudan University Department of Chemistry CHINA
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Fanali C, D'Orazio G, Gentili A, Fanali S. Potentiality of miniaturized techniques for the analysis of drugs of abuse. Electrophoresis 2021; 43:190-200. [PMID: 34148240 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202100150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Capillary electromigration (CE) and liquid chromatographic techniques (CLC/nano-LC) are miniaturized techniques offering distinct advantages over conventional ones in the field of separation science. Among these, high efficiency, high chromatographic resolution, and use of minute volumes of both mobile phase and sample volumes are the most important. CE and CLC/nano-LC have been applied to the analysis of many compounds including peptides, proteins, drugs, enantiomers, ions, etc. Over the years, the methods described here have also been used for the analysis of compounds of clinical, forensic, and toxicological interest. In this review article, the main features of the mentioned techniques are summarized. Their potentiality for the analysis of drugs of abuse are discussed. Some selected applications in this field in the period of 2015-present are also reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Fanali
- Faculty of Science, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanni D'Orazio
- Institute for the Biological Systems, National Research Council, Monterotondo, Italy
| | | | - Salvatore Fanali
- Teaching Committee of Ph.D. School in Natural Science and Engineering, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Perovani IS, Serpellone CO, de Oliveira ARM. An appraisal of experimental designs: Application to enantioselective capillary electromigration techniques. Electrophoresis 2021; 42:1726-1743. [PMID: 33544902 DOI: 10.1002/elps.202000334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Enantioresolution processes are vital tools for investigating the enantioselectivities of chiral compounds. An analyst resolves to optimize enantioresolution conditions once they are determined. Generally, optimization is conducted by a one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) approach. Although this approach may determine an adequate condition for the method, it does not often allow the estimation of the real optimum condition. Experimental designs are conducive for the optimization of enantioresolution methods via capillary electromigration techniques (CETs). They can efficiently extract information from the behavior of a method and enable the estimation of the real optimum condition. Furthermore, the application of the analytical quality by design (AQbD) approach to the development of CET-based enantioselective methods is a trend. This article (i) offers an overview of the application of experimental designs to the development of enantioselective methods from 2015 to mid-2020, (ii) reveals the experimental designs that are presently employed in CET-based enantioresolutions, and (iii) offers a critical point of view on how the different experimental designs can aid the optimization of enantioresolution processes by considering the method parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Icaro Salgado Perovani
- Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo, 14040-901, Brazil
| | - Carolina Oliveira Serpellone
- Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo, 14040-901, Brazil
| | - Anderson Rodrigo Moraes de Oliveira
- Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Sao Paulo, 14040-901, Brazil.,National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection, Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactives (INCT-DATREM), UNESP, Institute of Chemistry, Araraquara, Sao Paulo, 14800-900, Brazil
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Silva AR, Dinis-Oliveira RJ. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of dextromethorphan: clinical and forensic aspects. Drug Metab Rev 2020; 52:258-282. [DOI: 10.1080/03602532.2020.1758712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Silva
- Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Jorge Dinis-Oliveira
- Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Sciences, IINFACTS – Institute of Research and Advanced Training in Health Sciences and Technologies, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, Gandra, Portugal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Laboratory of Toxicology, UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
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Krait S, Heuermann M, Scriba GKE. Development of a capillary electrophoresis method for the determination of the chiral purity of dextromethorphan by a dual selector system using quality by design methodology. J Sep Sci 2018; 41:1405-1413. [PMID: 29131506 DOI: 10.1002/jssc.201701166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 11/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Dextromethorphan is a centrally acting antitussive drug, while its enantiomer levomethorphan is an illicit drug with opioid analgesic effects. As capillary electrophoresis has been proven as an ideal technique for enantiomer analysis, the present study was conducted in order to develop a capillary electrophoresis-based limit test for levomethorphan. The analytical target profile was defined as a method that should be able to determine levomethorphan with acceptable precision and accuracy at the 0.1 % level. From initial scouting experiments, a dual selector system consisting of sulfated β-cyclodextrin and methyl-α-cyclodextrin was identified. The critical process parameters were evaluated in a fractional factorial resolution IV design followed by a central composite face-centered design and Monte Carlo simulations for defining the design space of the method. The selected working conditions consisted of a 30/40.2 cm, 50 μm id fused-silica capillary, 30 mM sodium phosphate buffer, pH 6.5, 16 mg/mL sulfated β-cyclodextrin, and 14 mg/mL methyl-α-cyclodextrin at 20°C and 20 kV. The method was validated according to ICH guideline Q2(R1) and applied to the analysis of a capsule formulation. Furthermore, the apparent binding constants between the enantiomers and the cyclodextrins as well as complex mobilities were determined to understand the migration behavior of the analytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sulaiman Krait
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
| | | | - Gerhard K E Scriba
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University, Jena, Germany
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Stepankova M, Pastorkova B, Bachleda P, Dvorak Z. Itraconazole cis-diastereoisomers activate aryl hydrocarbon receptor AhR and pregnane X receptor PXR and induce CYP1A1 in human cell lines and human hepatocytes. Toxicology 2017; 383:40-49. [PMID: 28390928 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2017.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Triazole antimycotic itraconazole contains in its structure three chiral centres; therefore, it forms eight stereoisomers. Commercial preparations of itraconazole are a mixture of four cis-diastereoisomers. There is much evidence that efficacy, adverse effects, and toxicity of chiral drugs may be stereospecific. Therefore, we have prepared 4 pure cis-diastereoisomers of itraconazole and investigated their effects on transcriptional activities of xenoreceptors aryl hydrocarbon receptor AhR and pregnane X receptor PXR. Gene reporter assays showed that itraconazole dose-dependently activated both AhR and PXR, and the activation of AhR but not of PXR was enantiospecific. Itraconazole diastereoisomers transformed AhR and PXR into their DNA-binding forms, as demonstrated by electromobility shift assays. Cytochrome P450 CYP1A1 mRNA and protein were induced by itraconazole diastereoisomers in human hepatoma cells HepG2, human skin cells HaCaT, and in primary human hepatocytes. The expression of CYP3A4 in human intestinal LS180 cells was not influenced by itraconazole, but we observed downregulation of CYP3A4 in human hepatocytes. Collectively, we show that itraconazole is a dual activator of AhR and PXR, with differential effects on the target genes for xenoreceptors. The enantiospecific pattern was observed only in gene reporter assays for AhR. The data presented here might be of toxicological and clinical importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Stepankova
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Pastorkova
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Bachleda
- 2nd Department of Surgery, University Hospital Olomouc, I.P. Pavlova 6, 775 20 Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenek Dvorak
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, Palacky University, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic.
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Heikman P, Sundström M, Pelander A, Ojanperä I. New psychoactive substances as part of polydrug abuse within opioid maintenance treatment revealed by comprehensive high-resolution mass spectrometric urine drug screening. Hum Psychopharmacol 2016; 31:44-52. [PMID: 26763789 DOI: 10.1002/hup.2512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Revised: 10/30/2015] [Accepted: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE At present, polydrug abuse comprises, besides traditional illicit drugs, new psychoactive substances (NPS) and non-prescribed psychotropic medicines (N-PPM). Polydrug abuse was comprehensively evaluated among opioid-dependent patients undergoing opioid maintenance treatment (OMT). METHODS Two hundred consecutively collected urine samples from 82 OMT patients (52 male) treated with methadone or buprenorphine-naloxone medication were studied using a liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry screening method. The method enables simultaneous detection of hundreds of abused substances covering the traditional drugs of abuse and many NPS as well as N-PPM. RESULTS Ninety-two (45.8%) samples were positive for the abused substances. Benzodiazepines (29.0%), amphetamines (19.5%), cannabinoids (17.0%), NPS (13.0%), N-PPM (9.0%), and opioids (9.0%) were detected in different combinations. The simultaneous occurrence of up to three groups of abused substances was common (40.0%), and in one sample, all six groups were found. The stimulant NPS alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone was found in 10.0% and the sedative N-PPM pregabalin in 4.0% of the samples. The patients were seldom aware of what particular NPS they had abused. CONCLUSIONS A widespread occurrence of abused substances beyond the ordinary was revealed. Identifying these patients is essential as polydrug abuse is a safety risk to the patient and may cause attrition from OMT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pertti Heikman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mira Sundström
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Anna Pelander
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ilkka Ojanperä
- Department of Forensic Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Chiral analysis of methorphan in opiate-overdose related deaths by using capillary electrophoresis. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2015.07.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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