1
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Maitland AD, McGriff SA, Glatfelter GC, Schindler CW, Baumann MH. Reinforcing effects of fentanyl analogs found in illicit drug markets. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2024:10.1007/s00213-024-06641-6. [PMID: 38965085 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-024-06641-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE The potent synthetic opioid fentanyl, and its analogs, continue to drive opioid-related overdoses. Although the pharmacology of fentanyl is well characterized, there is little information about the reinforcing effects of clandestine fentanyl analogs (FAs). OBJECTIVES Here, we compared the effects of fentanyl and the FAs acetylfentanyl, butyrylfentanyl, and cyclopropylfentanyl on drug self-administration in male and female rats. These FAs feature chemical modifications at the carbonyl moiety of the fentanyl scaffold. METHODS Sprague-Dawley rats fitted with intravenous jugular catheters were placed in chambers containing two nose poke holes. Active nose poke responses resulted in drug delivery (0.2 mL) over 2 s on a fixed-ratio 1 schedule, followed by a 20 s timeout. Acquisition doses were 0.01 mg/kg/inj for fentanyl and cyclopropylfentanyl, and 0.03 mg/kg/inj for acetylfentanyl and butyrylfentanyl. After 10 days of acquisition, dose-effect testing was carried out, followed by 10 days of saline extinction. RESULTS Self-administration of fentanyl and FAs was acquired by both male and female rats, with no sex differences in acquisition rate. Fentanyl and FAs showed partial inverted-U dose-effect functions; cyclopropylfentanyl and fentanyl had similar potency, while acetylfentanyl and butyrylfentanyl were less potent. Maximal response rates were similar across drugs, with fentanyl and cyclopropylfentanyl showing maximum responding at 0.001 mg/kg/inj, acetylfentanyl at 0.01 mg/kg/inj, and butyrylfentanyl at 0.003 mg/kg/inj. No sex differences were detected for drug potency, efficacy, or rates of extinction. CONCLUSIONS Our work provides new evidence that FAs display significant abuse liability in male and female rats, which suggests the potential for compulsive use in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander D Maitland
- Designer Drug Research Unit (DDRU), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program (IRP), 333 Cassell Drive, Suite 4400, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Shelby A McGriff
- Designer Drug Research Unit (DDRU), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program (IRP), 333 Cassell Drive, Suite 4400, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Grant C Glatfelter
- Designer Drug Research Unit (DDRU), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program (IRP), 333 Cassell Drive, Suite 4400, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Charles W Schindler
- Designer Drug Research Unit (DDRU), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program (IRP), 333 Cassell Drive, Suite 4400, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Michael H Baumann
- Designer Drug Research Unit (DDRU), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Intramural Research Program (IRP), 333 Cassell Drive, Suite 4400, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
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2
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Nazdrajić E, Rickert DA, Pawliszyn J. Rapid Analysis of Fentanyl and Fentanyl Analogues from Whole Blood Using SPME Coupled to the Microfluidic Open Interface. Anal Chem 2024; 96:821-827. [PMID: 38158586 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c04354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Fentanyl and its analogues are potent opioids that pose a significant threat to society. Over the last several years, considerable focus has been on the concerning trend of increasing fentanyl usage among drug users. Fentanyl analogues are mainly synthesized to evade analytical detection or increase their potency; thus, very low concentrations are sufficient to achieve a therapeutic effect. In an effort to help combat the synthetic opioid epidemic, developing targeted mass spectrometric methods for quantifying fentanyl and its analogues at ultralow concentrations is incredibly important. Most methods used to analyze fentanyl and its analogues from whole blood require manual sample preparation protocols (solid-phase extraction or liquid-liquid extraction), followed by chromatographic separation and mass spectrometric detection. The main disadvantages of these methods are the tedious sample preparation workflows, resulting in lengthy analysis times. To mitigate these issues, we present a targeted method capable of analyzing 96 samples containing fentanyl, several fentanyl analogues, and a common fentanyl (analogue) precursor simultaneously in 2.4 min per sample. This is possible by using a high-throughput solid phase microextraction workflow on the Concept96 autosampler followed by manual coupling of solid-phase microextraction fibers to the microfluidic open interface for tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Our quantitative method is capable of extremely sensitive analysis, with limits of quantification ranging from 0.002 to 0.031 ng mL-1 and linearity ranging from 0.010 to 25.0 ng mL-1. The method shows very good reproducibility (1-18%), accuracy (81-100%) of calibration and validation points, and good interday reproducibility (6-15%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Emir Nazdrajić
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, ON, Canada
| | - Daniel A Rickert
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, ON, Canada
| | - Janusz Pawliszyn
- Department of Chemistry, University of Waterloo, Waterloo N2L 3G1, ON, Canada
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3
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Qu F, Lin L, Nie P, Xia Z. High-Precision Automatic Identification of Fentanyl-Related Drugs by Terahertz Spectroscopy with Molecular Dynamics Simulation and Spectral Similarity Mapping. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810321. [PMID: 36142226 PMCID: PMC9499453 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Fentanyl is a potent opioid analgesic with high bioavailability. It is the leading cause of drug addiction and overdose death. To better control the abuse of fentanyl and its derivatives, it is crucial to develop rapid and sensitive detection methods. However, fentanyl-related substrates undergo similar molecular structures resulting in similar properties, which are difficult to be identified by conventional spectroscopic methods. In this work, a method for the automatic identification of 8 fentanyl-related substances with similar spectral characteristics was developed using terahertz (THz) spectroscopy coupled with density functional theory (DFT) and spectral similarity mapping (SSM). To characterize the THz fingerprints of these fentanyl-related samples more accurately, the method of baseline estimation and denoising with sparsity was performed before revealing the unique molecular dynamics of each substance by DFT. The SSM method was proposed to identify these fentanyl analogs based on weighted spectral cosine–cross similarity and fingerprint discrete Fréchet distance, generating a matching list by stepwise searching the entire spectral database. The top matched list returned the identification results of the target fentanyl analogs with accuracies of 94.48~99.33%. Results from this work provide algorithms’ increased reliability, which serves as an artificial intelligence-based tool for high-precision fentanyl analysis in real-world samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangfang Qu
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 310002, China
| | - Lei Lin
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Spectroscopy Sensing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Pengcheng Nie
- College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Key Laboratory of Spectroscopy Sensing, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Zhengyan Xia
- School of Medicine, Zhejiang University City College, Hangzhou 310015, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-0571-8898-2456
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Patel JC, Parveen S. In Vitro and In Vivo Analysis of Fentanyl and Fentalog Metabolites using Hyphenated Chromatographic Techniques: A Review. Chem Res Toxicol 2021; 35:30-42. [PMID: 34957817 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrestox.1c00225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Fentanyl and fentanyl analogues (also called fentalogs) are used as medical prescriptions to treat pain for a long time. Apart from their pharmaceutical applications, they are misused immensely, causing the opioid crisis. Fentanyl and its analogues are produced in clandestine laboratories and sold over dark Web markets to different parts of the world, leading to a rise in the death rate due to drug overdose. This is because the users are unaware of the lethal effects of the newer forms of fentalogs. Unlike other drugs, these fentalogs cannot be detected easily, as very little data are available, and this is one of the major reasons for the risk of life-threatening poisoning or deaths. Hence, rigorous studies of these drugs and their possible metabolites are required. It is also necessary to develop techniques for the detection of minute traces of metabolites in biological fluids. This Review provides an overview of the application of hyphenated chromatographic techniques used to analyze multiple novel fentalogs, using in vivo and in vitro methods. The article focuses on the metabolites formed in phase I and phase II processes in biological specimens obtained in recent cases of drug abuse and overdose deaths that could be useful for the detection and differentiation of multiple fentalogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jayashree C Patel
- Department of Forensic Science, School of Sciences, Jain (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru 560027, Karnataka, India
| | - Suphiya Parveen
- Department of Life Science, School of Sciences, Jain (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru 560027, Karnataka, India
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Lockwood TLE, Vervoordt A, Lieberman M. High concentrations of illicit stimulants and cutting agents cause false positives on fentanyl test strips. Harm Reduct J 2021; 18:30. [PMID: 33750405 PMCID: PMC7941948 DOI: 10.1186/s12954-021-00478-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The opioid epidemic has caused an increase in overdose deaths which can be attributed to fentanyl combined with various illicit substances. Drug checking programs have been started by many harm reduction groups to provide tools for users to determine the composition of their street drugs. Immunoassay fentanyl test strips (FTS) allow users to test drugs for fentanyl by either filling a baggie or cooker with water to dissolve the sample and test. The antibody used in FTS is very selective for fentanyl at high dilutions, a characteristic of the traditional use of urine testing. These street sample preparation methods can lead to mg/mL concentrations of several potential interferents. We tested whether these concentrated samples could cause false positive results on a FTS. Methods 20 ng/mL Rapid Response FTS were obtained from BTNX Inc. and tested against 4 different pharmaceuticals (diphenhydramine, alprazolam, gabapentin, and naloxone buprenorphine) and 3 illicit stimulants [cocaine HCl, methamphetamine, and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)] in concentrations from 20 to 0.2 mg/mL. The FTS testing pad is divided into 2 sections: the control area and the test area. Control and test area signal intensities were quantified by ImageJ from photographs of the test strips and compared to a threshold set by fentanyl at the FTS limit of detection. Results False positive results indicating the presence of fentanyl were obtained from samples of methamphetamine, MDMA, and diphenhydramine at concentrations at or above 1 mg/mL. Diphenhydramine is a common cutting agent in heroin. The street sample preparation protocols for FTS use suggested by many online resources would produce such concentrations of these materials. Street samples need to be diluted more significantly to avoid interference from potential cutting agents and stimulants. Conclusions Fentanyl test strips are commercially available, successful at detecting fentanyl to the specified limit of detection and can be a valuable tool for harm reduction efforts. Users should be aware that when drugs and adulterants are in high concentrations, FTS can give a false positive result. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12954-021-00478-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy-Lynn E Lockwood
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, 251 Stepan Hall of Chemistry, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA.
| | - Alexandra Vervoordt
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, 251 Stepan Hall of Chemistry, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
| | - Marya Lieberman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, 251 Stepan Hall of Chemistry, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA
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Wharton RE, Casbohm J, Hoffmaster R, Brewer BN, Finn MG, Johnson RC. Detection of 30 Fentanyl Analogs by Commercial Immunoassay Kits. J Anal Toxicol 2021; 45:111-116. [PMID: 33580693 DOI: 10.1093/jat/bkaa181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Health-care workers, laboratorians and overdose prevention centers rely on commercial immunoassays to detect the presence of fentanyl; however, the cross-reactivity of fentanyl analogs with these kits is largely unknown. To address this, we conducted a pilot study evaluating the detection of 30 fentanyl analogs and metabolites by 19 commercially available kits (9 lateral flow assays, 7 heterogeneous immunoassays and 3 homogenous immunoassays). The analogs selected for analysis were compiled from the Drug Enforcement Administration and National Forensic Laboratory Information System reports from 2015 to 2018. In general, the immunoassays tested were able to detect their intended fentanyl analog and some closely related analogs, but more structurally diverse analogs, including 4-methoxy-butyryl fentanyl and 3-methylfentanyl, were not well detected. Carfentanil was only detected by kits specifically designed for its recognition. In general, analogs with group additions to the piperidine, or bulky rings or long alkyl chain modifications in the N-aryl or alkyl amide regions, were poorly detected compared to other types of modifications. This preliminary information is useful for screening diagnostic, forensic and unknown powder samples for the presence of fentanyl analogs and guiding future testing improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah E Wharton
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
| | - Jerry Casbohm
- Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
| | - Ryan Hoffmaster
- Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
| | - Bobby N Brewer
- Battelle Memorial Institute, 505 King Avenue, Columbus, OH 43201, USA
| | - M G Finn
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 901 Atlantic Drive, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | - Rudolph C Johnson
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA
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7
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel A. Krug
- Forensic Science Arcadia University Glenside Pennsylvania USA
| | - Karen S. Scott
- Forensic Science Arcadia University Glenside Pennsylvania USA
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Chan WS, Wong GF, Hung CW, Wong YN, Fung KM, Lee WK, Dao KL, Leung CW, Lo KM, Lee WM, Cheung BKK. Interpol review of toxicology 2016-2019. Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2020; 2:563-607. [PMID: 33385147 PMCID: PMC7770452 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2020.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
This review paper covers the forensic-relevant literature in toxicology from 2016 to 2019 as a part of the 19th Interpol International Forensic Science Managers Symposium. The review papers are also available at the Interpol website at: https://www.interpol.int/content/download/14458/file/Interpol%20Review%20.Papers%202019.pdf.
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Robertson TBR, Antonides LH, Gilbert N, Benjamin SL, Langley SK, Munro LJ, Sutcliffe OB, Mewis RE. Hyperpolarization of Pyridyl Fentalogues by Signal Amplification By Reversible Exchange (SABRE). ChemistryOpen 2019; 8:1375-1382. [PMID: 31844604 PMCID: PMC6892445 DOI: 10.1002/open.201900273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Fentanyl, also known as 'jackpot', is a synthetic opiate that is 50-100 times more potent than morphine. Clandestine laboratories produce analogues of fentanyl, known as fentalogues to circumvent legislation regarding its production. Three pyridyl fentalogues were synthesized and then hyperpolarized by signal amplification by reversible exchange (SABRE) to appraise the forensic potential of the technique. A maximum enhancement of -168-fold at 1.4 T was recorded for the ortho pyridyl 1H nuclei. Studies of the activation parameters for the three fentalogues revealed that the ratio of ligand loss trans to hydride and hydride loss in the complex [Ir(IMes)(L)3(H)2]+ (IMes=1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazole-2-ylidene) ranged from 0.52 to 1.83. The fentalogue possessing the ratio closest to unity produced the largest enhancement subsequent to performing SABRE at earth's magnetic field. It was possible to hyperpolarize a pyridyl fentalogue selectively from a matrix that consisted largely of heroin (97 : 3 heroin:fentalogue) to validate the use of SABRE as a forensic tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas B. R. Robertson
- Department of Natural SciencesManchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building, Chester St.Manchester, M1 5GDUK
| | - Lysbeth H. Antonides
- Department of Natural SciencesManchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building, Chester St.Manchester, M1 5GDUK
- Leverhulme Research Centre for Forensic ScienceUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Nicolas Gilbert
- Department of Natural SciencesManchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building, Chester St.Manchester, M1 5GDUK
- MANchester DRug Analysis and Knowledge Exchange (MANDRAKE)Manchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building, Chester St.ManchesterM1 5GDUK
| | - Sophie L. Benjamin
- School of Science and TechnologyNottingham Trent UniversityNottinghamNG11 8NSUK
| | - Stuart K. Langley
- Department of Natural SciencesManchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building, Chester St.Manchester, M1 5GDUK
| | - Lindsey J. Munro
- Department of Natural SciencesManchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building, Chester St.Manchester, M1 5GDUK
| | - Oliver B. Sutcliffe
- Department of Natural SciencesManchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building, Chester St.Manchester, M1 5GDUK
- MANchester DRug Analysis and Knowledge Exchange (MANDRAKE)Manchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building, Chester St.ManchesterM1 5GDUK
| | - Ryan E. Mewis
- Department of Natural SciencesManchester Metropolitan University John Dalton Building, Chester St.Manchester, M1 5GDUK
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Goodchild SA, Hubble LJ, Mishra RK, Li Z, Goud KY, Barfidokht A, Shah R, Bagot KS, McIntosh AJS, Wang J. Ionic Liquid-Modified Disposable Electrochemical Sensor Strip for Analysis of Fentanyl. Anal Chem 2019; 91:3747-3753. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b00176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Goodchild
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Defence Science
and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down, Salisbury SP4 0JQ, U.K
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, U.K
| | - Lee J. Hubble
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- CSIRO Manufacturing, Lindfield, New South Wales 2070, Australia
| | - Rupesh K. Mishra
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Zhanhong Li
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - K. Yugender Goud
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Abbas Barfidokht
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Rushabh Shah
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Kara S. Bagot
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | | | - Joseph Wang
- Department of NanoEngineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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