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Jorbenadze S, Khatiashvili T, Giunashvili L, Tchelidze A, Lo Faro AF, Pichini S, Farré M, Papaseit E, Nuñez-Montero M, Carlier J, Farkas T, Busardo FP, Chankvetadze B. Challenges encountered in the enantioselective analysis of new psychoactive substances exemplified by clephedrone (4-CMC). J Pharm Biomed Anal 2024; 248:116275. [PMID: 38959760 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2024.116275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
In this study we report on efforts to develop an enantioselective method for the detection of the drug of abuse clephedrone (1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(methylamino)-1-propanone (4-chloromethcathinone, also known as 4-CMC or para-chloro-methcathinone)) and its phase-1 metabolites in human biological fluids. The major goal is not to only report results, but primarily to emphasize the various challenges encountered when developing a reliable analytical method for the detection and quantification of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) and their metabolites in the matrix of interest. Such challenges start with the lack of chemical stability of some NPS in biological matrices. Additionally, most often metabolites are unavailable in pure form to serve as analytical standards, just as deuterated standards for native drugs and metabolites are frequently not commercially available. Furthermore, if the NPS is chiral, enantiomerically pure standards with known absolute stereochemistry are required, as well as a stereochemical stability of a drug and its metabolites becomes an issue. In addition, the chirality of a NPS significantly increases the number of species to be detected in the sample and thus challenges the development of an adequate separation method. These issues are shortly addressed, and some solutions offered in this manuscript.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saba Jorbenadze
- Institute of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Tbilisi State University, I. Chavchavadze Ave 1, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia
| | - Tamar Khatiashvili
- Institute of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Tbilisi State University, I. Chavchavadze Ave 1, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia; Department of Excellence-Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona 60121, Italy
| | - Lasha Giunashvili
- Institute of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Tbilisi State University, I. Chavchavadze Ave 1, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia
| | - Aluda Tchelidze
- Institute of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Tbilisi State University, I. Chavchavadze Ave 1, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia
| | - Alfredo Fabrizio Lo Faro
- Department of Excellence-Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona 60121, Italy
| | - Simona Pichini
- National Centre on Addiction and Doping, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Magi Farré
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias I Pujol (HUGTiP-IGTP) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelelona, Carretera de Canyet s/n, Badalona 08916, Spain
| | - Esther Papaseit
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias I Pujol (HUGTiP-IGTP) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelelona, Carretera de Canyet s/n, Badalona 08916, Spain
| | - Melani Nuñez-Montero
- Clinical Pharmacology Department, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias I Pujol (HUGTiP-IGTP) and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelelona, Carretera de Canyet s/n, Badalona 08916, Spain
| | - Jeremy Carlier
- Department of Excellence-Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona 60121, Italy
| | - Tivadar Farkas
- Institute of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Tbilisi State University, I. Chavchavadze Ave 1, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia
| | - Francesco Paolo Busardo
- Department of Excellence-Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona 60121, Italy.
| | - Bezhan Chankvetadze
- Institute of Physical and Analytical Chemistry, School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Tbilisi State University, I. Chavchavadze Ave 1, Tbilisi 0179, Georgia.
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Berardinelli D, Taoussi O, Carlier J, Tini A, Zaami S, Sundermann T, Busardò FP, Auwärter V. In vitro, in vivo metabolism and quantification of the novel synthetic opioid N-piperidinyl etonitazene (etonitazepipne). Clin Chem Lab Med 2024; 62:1580-1590. [PMID: 38311816 DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2023-1360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES N-piperidinyl etonitazene (etonitazepipne) is a newly synthesized opioid related to the 2-benzylbenzimidazole analog class. Etonitazepipne has been formally notified and placed under intensive monitoring in Europe in January 2022. Nitazenes have high affinity at µ-opioid receptor (MOR). Etonitazepipne, specifically shows a EC50 of 2.49 nM, suggesting about 50 times higher potency combined with higher efficacy compared to morphine. Antinociceptive potency l ('hot plate test' with rats) was 192-fold greater than that of morphine. METHODS Here we report on a post-mortem case involving etonitazepipne and its quantification using a standard addition method (SAM) through liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In addition, characterization and identification of phase I human metabolites using in vitro assay based on pooled human liver microsomes (pHLM) was performed along with the analysis of authentic urine samples by means of high-performance liquid chromatography high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS). RESULTS The concentration of etonitazepipne in post-mortem blood and urine was 8.3 and 11 ng/mL, respectively. SAM was validated by assessing the following parameters: intraday and interday repeatability, matrix effect and recovery rate in post-mortem blood. A total of 20 and 14 metabolites were identified after pHLM incubation and urine analysis, respectively. Most pronounced in vitro and in vivo transformations were O-deethylation, hydroxylation, ketone reduction, and combinations thereof. CONCLUSIONS Considering small traces of the parent drug often found in real cases, the identification of metabolic biomarkers is crucial to identify exposure to this drug. O-deethylated, oxidated metabolites, and combination thereof are proposed as urinary biomarkers along with the parent compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diletta Berardinelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
- Forensic Toxicology, Institute for Legal Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Omayema Taoussi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Jeremy Carlier
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Anastasio Tini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Simona Zaami
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Tom Sundermann
- Institute of Forensic and Traffic Medicine, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Francesco Paolo Busardò
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Volker Auwärter
- Forensic Toxicology, Institute for Legal Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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Taoussi O, Berardinelli D, Zaami S, Tavoletta F, Basile G, Kronstrand R, Auwärter V, Busardò FP, Carlier J. Human metabolism of four synthetic benzimidazole opioids: isotonitazene, metonitazene, etodesnitazene, and metodesnitazene. Arch Toxicol 2024; 98:2101-2116. [PMID: 38582802 PMCID: PMC11169013 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-024-03735-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Following isotonitazene scheduling in 2019, the availability of alternative 2-benzylbenzimidazole opioids (nitazenes) on the global drug market increased, resulting in many fatalities worldwide. Nitazenes are potent µ-opioid receptor agonists with strong narcotic/analgesic effects, and their concentrations in biological matrices are low, making the detection of metabolite biomarkers of consumption crucial to document use in clinical and forensic settings. However, there is little to no data on the metabolism of the most recently available nitazenes, especially desnitro-analogues. The aim of the research was to assess isotonitazene, metonitazene, etodesnitazene, and metodesnitazene human metabolism and identify specific metabolite biomarkers of consumption. The four analogues were incubated with 10-donor-pooled human hepatocytes, and the incubates were analyzed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry and data mining with Compound Discoverer (Thermo Scientific); the analysis was supported by in silico metabolite predictions with GLORYx open-access software. Metabolites were identified in postmortem blood and/or urine samples from two metonitazene-positive and three etodesnitazene-positive cases following the same workflow, with and without glucuronide hydrolysis in urine, to confirm in vitro results. Twelve, nine, twenty-two, and ten metabolites were identified for isotonitazene, metonitazene, etodesnitazene, and metodesnitazene, respectively. The main transformations were N-deethylation at the N,N-diethylethanamine side chain, O-dealkylation, and further O-glucuronidation. In vitro and autopsy results were consistent, demonstrating the efficacy of the 10-donor-pooled human hepatocyte model to predict human metabolism. We suggest the parent and the corresponding O-dealkyl- and N-deethyl-O-dealkyl metabolites as biomarkers of exposure in urine after glucuronide hydrolysis, and the corresponding N-deethyl metabolite as additional biomarker in blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omayema Taoussi
- Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Tronto 10/a, 60126, Ancona AN, Italy
| | - Diletta Berardinelli
- Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Tronto 10/a, 60126, Ancona AN, Italy
| | - Simona Zaami
- Department of Anatomical, Histological, Forensic and Orthopaedic Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Tavoletta
- Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Tronto 10/a, 60126, Ancona AN, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Basile
- Department of Trauma Surgery, IRCCS Galeazzi Orthopedic Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Robert Kronstrand
- Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Volker Auwärter
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Francesco P Busardò
- Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Tronto 10/a, 60126, Ancona AN, Italy.
| | - Jeremy Carlier
- Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Via Tronto 10/a, 60126, Ancona AN, Italy
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Berardinelli D, Taoussi O, Daziani G, Tavoletta F, Ricci G, Tronconi LP, Adamowicz P, Busardò FP, Carlier J. 3-CMC, 4-CMC, and 4-BMC Human Metabolic Profiling: New Major Pathways to Document Consumption of Methcathinone Analogues? AAPS J 2024; 26:70. [PMID: 38862871 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00940-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Synthetic cathinones represent one of the largest and most abused new psychoactive substance classes, and have been involved in numerous intoxications and fatalities worldwide. Methcathinone analogues like 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC), 3-chloromethcathinone (3-CMC), and 4-CMC currently constitute most of synthetic cathinone seizures in Europe. Documenting their consumption in clinical/forensic casework is therefore essential to tackle this trend. Targeting metabolite markers is a go-to to document consumption in analytical toxicology, and metabolite profiling is crucial to support investigations. We sought to identify 3-CMC, 4-CMC, and 4-bromomethcathinone (4-BMC) human metabolites. The substances were incubated with human hepatocytes; incubates were screened by liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry and data were mined with Compound Discoverer (Themo Scientific). 3-CMC-positive blood, urine, and oral fluid and 4-CMC-positive urine and saliva from clinical/forensic casework were analyzed. Analyses were supported by metabolite predictions with GLORYx freeware. Twelve, ten, and ten metabolites were identified for 3-CMC, 4-CMC, and 4-BMC, respectively, with similar transformations occurring for the three cathinones. Major reactions included ketoreduction and N-demethylation. Surprisingly, predominant metabolites were produced by combination of N-demethylation and ω-carboxylation (main metabolite in 3-CMC-positive urine), and combination of β-ketoreduction, oxidative deamination, and O-glucuronidation (main metabolite in 4-CMC-positive urine). These latter metabolites were detected in negative-ionization mode only and their non-conjugated form was not detected after glucuronide hydrolysis; this metabolic pathway was never reported for any methcathinone analogue susceptible to undergo the same transformations. These results support the need for comprehensive screening strategies in metabolite identification studies, to avoid overlooking significant metabolites and major markers of consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diletta Berardinelli
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Omayema Taoussi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Gloria Daziani
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesco Tavoletta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Giovanna Ricci
- School of Law, Section of Legal Medicine, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
| | - Livio P Tronconi
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Forensic Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
- Maria Cecilia Hospital, Cotignola, Italy
| | | | - Francesco P Busardò
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy.
| | - Jeremy Carlier
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
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Brunetti P, Berardinelli D, Giorgetti A, Schwelm HM, Haschimi B, Pelotti S, Busardò FP, Auwärter V. Human metabolism and basic pharmacokinetic evaluation of AP-238: A recently emerged acylpiperazine opioid. Drug Test Anal 2024; 16:221-235. [PMID: 37376716 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
As a consequence of recently implemented legal restrictions on fentanyl analogs, a new generation of acylpiperazine opioids appeared on the illicit drug market. AP-238 was the latest opioid in this series to be notified by the European Early Warning System in 2020 and was involved in an increasing number of acute intoxications. AP-238 metabolism was investigated to provide useful markers of consumption. For the tentative identification of the main phase I metabolites, a pooled human liver microsome assay was performed. Further, four whole blood and two urine samples collected during post-mortem examinations and samples from a controlled oral self-administration study were screened for anticipated metabolites. In total, 12 AP-238 phase I metabolites were identified through liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry in the in vitro assay. All of these were confirmed in vivo, and additionally, 15 phase I and five phase II metabolites were detected in the human urine samples, adding up to a total of 32 metabolites. Most of these metabolites were also detected in the blood samples, although mostly with lower abundances. The main in vivo metabolites were built by hydroxylation combined with further metabolic reactions such as O-methylation or N-deacylation. The controlled oral self-administration allowed us to confirm the usefulness of these metabolites as proof of intake in abstinence control. The detection of metabolites is often crucial to documenting consumption, especially when small traces of the parent drug can be found in real samples. The in vitro assay proved to be suitable for the prediction of valid biomarkers of novel synthetic opioid intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Brunetti
- Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Diletta Berardinelli
- Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Arianna Giorgetti
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Hannes Max Schwelm
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
- Hermann Staudinger Graduate School, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Belal Haschimi
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
- Hermann Staudinger Graduate School, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Susi Pelotti
- Unit of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Paolo Busardò
- Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Volker Auwärter
- Institute of Forensic Medicine, Forensic Toxicology, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Germany
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Rautio T, Vangerven D, Dahlén J, Watanabe S, Kronstrand R, Vikingsson S, Konradsson P, Wu X, Gréen H. In vitro metabolite identification of acetylbenzylfentanyl, benzoylbenzylfentanyl, 3-fluoro-methoxyacetylfentanyl, and 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl using LC-QTOF-HRMS together with synthesized references. Drug Test Anal 2023. [PMID: 36756728 DOI: 10.1002/dta.3454] [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: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
Acetylbenzylfentanyl, benzoylbenzylfentanyl, 3-fluoro-methoxyacetylfentanyl, and 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl are fentanyl analogs that have been reported to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction in recent years. The aim of this study was to identify metabolic pathways and potential biomarker metabolites of these fentanyl analogs. The compounds were incubated (5 μM) with cryopreserved hepatocytes for up to 5 h in vitro. Metabolites were analyzed with liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight-high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-HRMS). The experiments showed that acetylbenzylfentanyl, benzoylbenzylfentanyl, and 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl were mainly metabolized through N-dealkylation (forming nor-metabolites) and 3-fluoro-methoxyacetylfentanyl mainly through demethylation. Other observed metabolites were formed by mono-/dihydroxylation, dihydrodiol formation, demethylation, dehydrogenation, amide hydrolysis, and/or glucuronidation. The experiments showed that a large number of metabolites of 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl were formed. The exact position of hydroxy groups in formed monohydroxy metabolites could not be established solely based upon recorded MSMS spectra of hepatocyte samples. Therefore, potential monohydroxy metabolites of 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl, with the hydroxy group in different positions, were synthesized and analyzed together with the hepatocyte samples. This approach could reveal that the β position of the phenylpropanoyl moiety was highly favored; β-OH-phenylpropanoylfentanyl was the most abundant metabolite after the nor-metabolite. Both metabolites have the potential to serve as biomarkers for 3-phenylpropanoylfentanyl. The nor-metabolites of acetylbenzylfentanyl, benzoylbenzylfentanyl, and 3-fluoro-methoxyacetylfentanyl do also seem to be suitable biomarker metabolites, as do the demethylated metabolite of 3-fluoro-methoxyacetylfentanyl. Identified metabolic pathways and formed metabolites were in agreement with findings in previous studies of similar fentanyl analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Rautio
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Daan Vangerven
- Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Johan Dahlén
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Shimpei Watanabe
- Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Linköping, Sweden.,Division of Drug Research, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Forensic Science Group, Photon Science Research Division, RIKEN SPring-8 Center, Sayo-gun, Japan
| | - Robert Kronstrand
- Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Linköping, Sweden.,Division of Drug Research, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Svante Vikingsson
- Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Linköping, Sweden.,Division of Drug Research, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Center for Forensic Science, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Peter Konradsson
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Xiongyu Wu
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Biology, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Henrik Gréen
- Department of Forensic Genetics and Forensic Toxicology, National Board of Forensic Medicine, Linköping, Sweden.,Division of Drug Research, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Carlier J, Malaca S, Huestis MA, Tagliabracci A, Tini A, Busardò FP. Biomarkers of 4-hydroxy- N,N-methylpropyltryptamine (4-OH-MPT) intake identified from human hepatocyte incubations. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2022; 18:831-840. [PMID: 36609205 DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2022.2166826] [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: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND 4-Hydroxy-N,N-methylpropyltryptamine (4-OH-MPT) is a psychedelic tryptamine whose use is regulated in several countries. Due to unspecific effects, consumption can be ascertained only through toxicological analyses. However, the trace amounts of tryptamines are usually challenging to detect in biological samples. 4-OH-MPT metabolism was characterized to identify optimal metabolite markers of intake in clinical/forensic toxicology. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS 4-OH-MPT was incubated with 10-donor-pooled human hepatocytes to simulate in vivo conditions; samples were analyzed by liquid chromatography-high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS), and data were processed with Compound Discoverer from Thermo Scientific. LC-HRMS/MS and data mining were supported by in silico metabolite predictions (GLORYx). RESULTS Three phase I and four phase II metabolites were identified, including N-oxidation and N-demethylation at the alkylamine chain, and O-glucuronidation and sulfation at the hydroxylindole core. CONCLUSIONS 4-OH-MPT metabolic fate was consistent with the human metabolism of tryptamine analogues: we suggest 4-OH-MPT-N-oxide and 4-hydroxy-N,N-propyltryptamine (4-OH-PT) as metabolite biomarkers of 4-OH-MPT consumption after glucuronide/sulfate hydrolysis in biological samples to improve detection of 4-OH-MPT and phase I metabolites; 4-OH-MPT-glucuronide is suggested as an additional biomarker when hydrolysis is not performed. Further research on the metabolism of structural analogues is necessary to evaluate the specificity of 4-OH-MPT metabolite biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Carlier
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Sara Malaca
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Marilyn A Huestis
- Institute of Emerging Health Professions, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Adriano Tagliabracci
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Anastasio Tini
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesco P Busardò
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Section of Legal Medicine, Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Marche Polytechnic University, Ancona, Italy
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