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Liu CM, Hua ZD, Jia W, Liu PP, Xu Y. Characterization of 17 unknown ketamine manufacturing by-product impurities by UHPLC-QTOF-MS. Drug Test Anal 2024; 16:750-760. [PMID: 35716363 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
This study initially reported the selection and characterization of 17 unknown impurities attributed to the manufacture process of ketamine. A total of 150 seized ketamine samples were investigated through ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight (UHPLC-Q-TOF). Seventeen characteristic impurities were selected in accordance with four criteria: The compound was detected in over 10% of all 150 seized ketamine samples, the compound had at least one nitrogen, the unsaturation of the compound was more than 5, and the compound was stable in the dilution solvent solution for 48 h. The accurate masses of the protonated molecules and product ions of the target impurities were obtained based on the full scan mode and the product ion mode of Q-TOF, respectively. Lastly, the possible structures of the above impurities were tentatively elucidated in accordance with the synthetic route of ketamine, protonated molecules, and MS2 product ions. All 17 impurities had the same skeleton of deschloroketamine (DCK), but were substituted with additional chlorine, hydroxyl, methyl, cyclohexane, and o-chlorophenyl cyclopentyl ketone substituents. Under the electrospray ionization (ESI), the above impurities showed similar characteristic fragment ions through the dissociation of the CH3NH2, C2H6NH, H2O, CO, C2H4O, C4H6, and C2H2 moieties. The above impurities have been routinely used for the profiling analysis of seized ketamine samples in the National Narcotics Laboratory of China and employed to establish the tactical intelligence for law enforcement agencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Mei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Monitoring and Control, Drug Intelligence and Forensic Center, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen-Dong Hua
- Key Laboratory of Drug Monitoring and Control, Drug Intelligence and Forensic Center, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Jia
- Key Laboratory of Drug Monitoring and Control, Drug Intelligence and Forensic Center, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing, China
| | - Pei-Pei Liu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Monitoring and Control, Drug Intelligence and Forensic Center, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Xu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Monitoring and Control of Zhejiang Province, National Anti-Drug Laboratory Zhejiang Regional Center, Hangzhou, China
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2
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Frankenfeld F, Wagmann L, Abelian A, Wallach J, Adejare A, Brandt SD, Meyer MR. In Vivo and In Vitro Metabolic Fate and Urinary Detectability of Five Deschloroketamine Derivatives Studied by Means of Hyphenated Mass Spectrometry. Metabolites 2024; 14:270. [PMID: 38786747 PMCID: PMC11122975 DOI: 10.3390/metabo14050270] [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: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Ketamine derivatives such as deschloroketamine and deschloro-N-ethyl-ketamine show dissociative and psychoactive properties and their abuse as new psychoactive substances (NPSs) has been reported. Though some information is available on the biotransformation of dissociative NPSs, data on deschloro-N-cyclopropyl-ketamine deschloro-N-isopropyl-ketamine and deschloro-N-propyl-ketamine concerning their biotransformation and, thus, urinary detectability are not available. The aims of the presented work were to study the in vivo phase I and II metabolism; in vitro phase I metabolism, using pooled human liver microsomes (pHLMs); and detectability, within a standard urine screening approach (SUSA), of five deschloroketamine derivatives. Metabolism studies were conducted by collecting urine samples from male Wistar rats over a period of 24 h after their administration at 2 mg/kg body weight. The samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The compounds were mainly metabolized by N-dealkylation, hydroxylation, multiple oxidations, and combinations of these metabolic reactions, as well as glucuronidation and N-acetylation. In total, 29 phase I and 10 phase II metabolites were detected. For the LC-HRMS/MS SUSA, compound-specific metabolites were identified, and suitable screening targets could be recommended and confirmed in pHLMs for all derivatives except for deschloro-N-cyclopropyl-ketamine. Using the GC-MS-based SUSA approach, only non-specific acetylated N-dealkylation metabolites could be detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Frankenfeld
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Toxicology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Lea Wagmann
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Toxicology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Anush Abelian
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jason Wallach
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Adeboye Adejare
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Simon D. Brandt
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
| | - Markus R. Meyer
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Toxicology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center for Molecular Signaling (PZMS), Saarland University, 66421 Homburg, Germany
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Characterization of 3-Hydroxyeticyclidine (3-HO-PCE) Metabolism in Human Liver Microsomes and Biological Samples Using High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13030432. [PMID: 36984871 PMCID: PMC10055977 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13030432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
3-Hydroxyeticyclidine (3-HO-PCE) is a ketamine derivative that produces dissociative, hallucinogenic, and euphoric effects when consumed, but little is known about its pharmacological properties, metabolism, and toxicity compared to other designer ketamine analogs. To address this gap in knowledge, this study explored for the first time the metabolism of 3-HO-PCE. Based on this investigation, it is hypothesized that combining the use of Human Liver Microsomes (HLM) as an In vitro model with urine and hair samples from drug users may enable the identification of key analytes that can extend the detection window of 3-HO-PCE, particularly in cases of overdose. The analysis identified 15 putative metabolites, 12 of which are produced through phase I metabolism involving N-dealkylation, deamination, and oxidation, and 3 through phase II O-glucuronidation. The metabolism of 3-HO-PCE is similar to that of O-PCE, another designer ketamine of the eticyclidine family. The study identified M2a and hydroxy-PCA as reliable biomarkers for untargeted screening of the eticyclidine family in urine and hair, respectively. For targeted screening of 3-HO-PCE, M10 is recommended as the target analyte in urine, and M5 shows promise for long-term monitoring of 3-HO-PCE using hair analysis.
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Luo X, Zhang D, Luo Q, Huang K, Liu X, Yang N, Qin Z, Feng C, Li J. Structure identification and analysis of the suspected chemical precursor of 2-fluorodeschloroketamine and its decomposition products. Drug Test Anal 2022; 14:1065-1078. [PMID: 35088572 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3229] [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: 10/24/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
In this work, 1-[(2"-fluorophenyl)(methylimino) methyl]cyclopentan-1-ol (2-fluorodeschlorohydroxylimine) was identified as a suspected chemical precursor of 2-fluorodeschloroketamine (2-FDCK) using GC-MS and GC-Q/TOF-MS and comparing the data with those of ketamine and its chemical precursor, hydroxylimine. Furthermore, the entire fragmentation pathway of 2-fluorodeschlorohydroxylimine was theorized from the GC-MS spectrum recorded using an electron ionization (EI) source, and the mechanisms and decomposition pathways of 2-fluorodeschlorohydroxylimine were elucidated. In protic solvents, the nitrogen atom in the C=N group of 2-fluorodeschlorohydroxylimine underwent a protonation reaction. Thereafter, the traces of water present in protic solvents promoted the hydrolysis of the protonated imine, and a carbon cation was obtained following the loss of methylamine. The carbon cation could follow the classical decomposition mechanism of imines and yield an α-hydroxyl ketone, which was the major decomposition product, (2'-fluorophenyl)(1"-hydroxycyclopentyl) methanone. The cation could also undergo a loop expansion rearrangement and yield another α-hydroxyl ketone, 2-(2'-fluorophenyl)-2-hydroxycyclohexan-1-one. The structures of the two aforementioned decomposition products were elucidated using several techniques including theoretical calculation, GC-MS, NMR, the prediction and assistance elucidation functions of ACDLabs-Structure Elucidator Suite, and the virtual separation technology of diffusion-ordered spectroscopy. The aforementioned study revealed important information about the chemical precursor of 2-FDCK and its decomposition. Furthermore, a set of methods for the qualitative analysis of 2-fluorodeschlorohydroxylimine was established, which facilitated accurate analysis of 2-fluorodeschlorohydroxylimine samples following decomposition or destruction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Luo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, P. R. China.,Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Applied Chemistry Technology and Resource Development, Guangxi University, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Di Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, P. R. China
| | - Qiulian Luo
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, P. R. China
| | - Kejian Huang
- Institute of Forensic Science, Public Security Department of Guangxi, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Xiaofeng Liu
- Institute of Forensic Science, Public Security Department of Guangxi, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Ning Yang
- Institute of Forensic Science, Public Security Department of Guangxi, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
| | - Zuzeng Qin
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, P. R. China
| | - Chunli Feng
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning, P. R. China
| | - Junbo Li
- Anti-drug detachment, Public Security Bureau of Nanning, Nanning, Guangxi, P. R. China
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Štefková-Mazochová K, Danda H, Dehaen W, Jurásek B, Šíchová K, Pinterová-Leca N, Mazoch V, Krausová BH, Kysilov B, Smejkalová T, Vyklický L, Kohout M, Hájková K, Svozil D, Horsley RR, Kuchař M, Páleníček T. Pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and behavioural studies of deschloroketamine in Wistar rats. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:65-83. [PMID: 34519023 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Deschloroketamine (DCK), a structural analogue of ketamine, has recently emerged on the illicit drug market as a recreational drug with a modestly long duration of action. Despite it being widely used by recreational users, no systematic research on its effects has been performed to date. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Pharmacokinetics, acute effects, and addictive potential in a series of behavioural tests in Wistar rats were performed following subcutaneous (s.c.) administration of DCK (5, 10, and 30 mg·kg-1 ) and its enantiomers S-DCK (10 mg·kg-1 ) and R-DCK (10 mg·kg-1 ). Additionally, activity at human N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors was also evaluated. KEY RESULTS DCK rapidly crossed the blood brain barrier, with maximum brain levels achieved at 30 min and remaining high at 2 h after administration. Its antagonist activity at NMDA receptors is comparable to that of ketamine with S-DCK being more potent. DCK had stimulatory effects on locomotion, induced place preference, and robustly disrupted PPI. Locomotor stimulant effects tended to disappear more quickly than disruptive effects on PPI. S-DCK had more pronounced stimulatory properties than its R-enantiomer. However, the potency in disrupting PPI was comparable in both enantiomers. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS DCK showed similar behavioural and addictive profiles and pharmacodynamics to ketamine, with S-DCK being in general more active. It has a slightly slower pharmacokinetic profile than ketamine, which is consistent with its reported longer duration of action. These findings have implications and significance for understanding the risks associated with illicit use of DCK.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hynek Danda
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.,3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 10, Czech Republic
| | - Wim Dehaen
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.,CZ-OPENSCREEN: National Infrastructure for Chemical Biology, Department of Informatics and Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Bronislav Jurásek
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.,Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Compounds, Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Klára Šíchová
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Nikola Pinterová-Leca
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.,3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 10, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Mazoch
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Hrčka Krausová
- Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, CAS, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Bohdan Kysilov
- Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, CAS, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Smejkalová
- Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, CAS, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Ladislav Vyklický
- Department of Cellular Neurophysiology, Institute of Physiology, CAS, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Kohout
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Hájková
- Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Compounds, Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic.,Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Svozil
- CZ-OPENSCREEN: National Infrastructure for Chemical Biology, Department of Informatics and Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic.,CZ-OPENSCREEN: National Infrastructure for Chemical Biology, Institute of Molecular Genetics, CAS, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Rachel R Horsley
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kuchař
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.,Forensic Laboratory of Biologically Active Compounds, Department of Chemistry of Natural Compounds, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Páleníček
- Department of Experimental Neurobiology, National Institute of Mental Health, Klecany, Czech Republic.,3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague 10, Czech Republic
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Mestria S, Odoardi S, Biosa G, Valentini V, Di Masi G, Cittadini F, Strano-Rossi S. Method development for the identification of methoxpropamine, 2-fluoro-deschloroketamine and deschloroketamine and their main metabolites in blood and hair and forensic application. Forensic Sci Int 2021; 323:110817. [PMID: 33971504 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The constant increase of new psychoactive substances, often available on the illicit drug market as 'research chemicals', poses a concern for public health and a significant analytical and legislative challenge. Β-keto-arylcyclohexamines represent a class of dissociative anesthetics recently introduced on the market of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS). There is still a lack of information about the pharmacological activity of many of such substances, usually depending on the potential chemical modifications introduced to circumvent the law. Furthermore, their intake may not be fully intentional, since consumers do not always have knowledge of the content of online purchases. The present study describes the characterization by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS), using a benchtop Orbitrap instrument, of the novel ketamine analogues methoxpropamine, 2-fluoro-deschloroketamine and deschloroketamine, found in the post-mortem blood and hair samples from a forensic case of suicide by fall from height, and of some of their metabolites. This allowed the development of analytical methods for the determination of both the β-keto-arylcyclohexamines and the metabolites in LC-HRMS and in LC-MS/MS, providing a starting point for studying their toxicokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Mestria
- Department of Healthcare Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore F. Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sara Odoardi
- Department of Healthcare Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore F. Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Biosa
- Department of Healthcare Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore F. Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Valentini
- Department of Healthcare Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore F. Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Gerardo Di Masi
- Department of Healthcare Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore F. Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Cittadini
- Department of Healthcare Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore F. Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Sabina Strano-Rossi
- Department of Healthcare Surveillance and Bioethics, Section of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore F. Policlinico Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
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25CN-NBOMe Metabolites in Rat Urine, Human Liver Microsomes and C.elegans-Structure Determination and Synthesis of the Most Abundant Metabolites. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11040212. [PMID: 33807281 PMCID: PMC8066366 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11040212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
N-Benzylphenethylamines are novel psychedelic substances increasingly used for research, diagnostic, or recreational purposes. To date, only a few metabolism studies have been conducted for N-2-methoxybenzylated compounds (NBOMes). Thus, the available 2,5-dimethoxy-4-(2-((2-methoxybenzyl)amino)ethyl)benzonitrile (25CN-NBOMe) metabolism data are limited. Herein, we investigated the metabolic profile of 25CN-NBOMe in vivo in rats and in vitro in Cunninghamella elegans (C. elegans) mycelium and human liver microsomes. Phase I and phase II metabolites were first detected in an untargeted screening, followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) identification of the most abundant metabolites by comparison with in-house synthesized reference materials. The major metabolic pathways described within this study (mono- and bis-O-demethylation, hydroxylation at different positions, and combinations thereof, followed by the glucuronidation, sulfation, and/or N-acetylation of primary metabolites) generally correspond to the results of previously reported metabolism of several other NBOMes. The cyano functional group was either hydrolyzed to the respective amide or carboxylic acid or remained untouched. Differences between species should be taken into account in studies of the metabolism of novel substances.
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Violence against women and drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA): A review of the main drugs. J Forensic Leg Med 2020; 74:102020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jflm.2020.102020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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