2-((2-(4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethylamino)methyl)phenol (25I-NBOH) and 2-(((2-(4-chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl)amino)methyl)phenol (25C-NBOH) induce adverse effects on the cardiovascular system

Two new psychoactive substances (NPSs) classified as phenethylamines, namely 2-((2-(4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethylamino)methyl)phenol (25I-NBOH) and 2-(((2-(4-chloro-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethyl)amino)methyl)phenol (25C-NBOH), are being abused by people seeking recreational hallucinogens. These NPSs may cause serious health problems as their adverse effects are not known in most cases. Therefore, in the present study, we evaluated the cardiotoxicity of 25I-NBOH and 25C-NBOH using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, rat electrocardiography (ECG), Langendorff test, and human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) assay. Furthermore, we analyzed the expression levels of p21 CDC42/RAC1-activated kinase 1 (PAK1), which is known to play various roles in the cardiovascular system. In the MTT assay, treatment with 25I-NBOH or 25C-NBOH dramatically decreased viability of H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Meanwhile, these two compounds significantly increased QT intervals and RR intervals in the rat ECG measurement. 25I-NBOH down-regulated the PAK1 protein expression in rat primary cardiomyocytes as well as H9c2 cells. However, 25C-NBOH had no effect on the PAK1 expression in H9c2 cells. In an in-depth study, 25I-NBOH inhibited potassium channels in the hERG assay, but in ex vivo test, the substance did not affect the left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) and heart rate of the isolated rat hearts. Taken together, these results suggest that both 25I-NBOH and 25C-NBOH may have adverse cardiovascular effect. Further investigation would be needed to determine which factors mainly influence the relationship between PAK1 expression and cardiotoxicity.

Chemical and statistical analyses of blotter paper matrix drugs seized in the State of Rio de Janeiro

Drugs of abuse are psychoactive substances illicitly distributed and used worldwide. In Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, they represent a public health issue and are directly related to several social problems. The recent increase in appearances of new psychoactive substances (NPS), derived from structural modifications of existing psychoactive substances, poses a threat to public health and forensic laboratories worldwide, as little is known about these substances. This study aimed to chemically and geographically map drugs of abuse from blotter papers seized by the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro State (PCERJ) between 2006 and 2019. High-performance analytical techniques, such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and Orbitrap mass spectrometry (Orbitrap-MS), combined with statistical analyses, were employed to characterize the seized samples. The most common chemical compounds in NPS found in this study were synthetic phenethylamines, i.e., molecules from the 25I-NBOH (2-(((4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethyl)amino)methyl)phenol) and 25I-NBOMe (2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-(2-methoxybenzyl)ethanamine) families. Prior to 2014, the majority of seized blotter papers contained lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and were concentrated in the Metropolitan region. An upsurge in blotter paper seizures was observed from 2014 to 2017; the most common substances during this time were from the NBOMe family. NBOH compounds emerged in 2016 in coastal regions with high tourism, reaching over 1300 items only in 2017. Only one synthetic cannabinoid was found among the blotter papers seized in Rio de Janeiro between 2006 and 2019. The assembled chemical data and statistical analyses allowed the mapping and monitoring of the chemical profiles of the seized blotter papers, providing a strong foundation for the understanding of the origins and movement of these drugs around the RJ State.

Challenges in the identification of new thermolabile psychoactive substances: The 25I-NBOH case

The continuous emergence of NPS over the last years poses a series of novel challenges for forensic analysts. Most of those new compounds are synthesized with minimal chemical modifications to the structure of already known chemicals in order to avoid regulations. Some of these new compounds may undergo chemical changes during analysis leading to misidentification and detrimental legal consequences. GC-MS is one of the most widely used analytical techniques employed by forensic laboratories all over the world for drug analysis. Nevertheless, thermolabile NPS, such as 25I-NBOH can generate artefacts in the traditional GC-MS analysis. In this paper, we describe the fragmentation mechanism of the 25I-NBOH into a major peak corresponding to 2C-I and a minor one corresponding to the associated ortho-phenolic benzyl ether (o-PBE), which exact identity is directly linked with the solvent used for the analysis. Also, a series of method adjustments is displayed, encompassing variation on the injector temperature, split ratio and flow ratio, although with no success to prevent 25I-NBOH thermo degradation in the GC injector. Furthermore, differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that 25I-NBOH's thermal stability is due to a smaller temperature window between fusion and decomposition points. Finally, we perform derivatization experiments and demonstrate how to overcome 25I-NBOH degradation in the GC/MS analysis.

EASI-IMS an expedite and secure technique to screen for 25I-NBOH in blotter papers

The increasing number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) and their quick worldwide spreading, often only slightly modified in the form of new derivatives and analogues, have brought the need for fast, wide-ranging, and unequivocal identification methods in clinical and forensic investigations. Because it usually provides secure results, gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) has been routinely employed as the standard technique for the detection of NPS in blotter papers. For 25I-NBOH (N-(2-hydroxybenzyl)-2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)ethan-1-aminium), however, GC-MS analysis of an blotter paper extract leads to incorrect results. In this work, we investigated whether easy ambient sonic-spray mass spectrometry imaging (EASI-IMS), and ambient ionization MS method can be applied directly to the surface of the sample requiring therefore no extraction or sample preparations, would serve as an efficient, sensitive, and secure alternative for 25I-NBOH screening.

25I-NBOH: a new potent serotonin 5-HT2A receptor agonist identified in blotter paper seizures in Brazil

A new potent serotonin 5-HT_2A receptor agonist was identified in blotter papers by several state level forensic laboratories in Brazil. The 25I-NBOH is a labile molecule, which fragments into 2C-I when analyzed by routine seized material screening gas chromatography (GC) methods. GC-mass spectrometry (MS), liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-MS, and Fourier transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance analyses were performed to complete molecular characterization. Individual doses range from 300 to 1000 μg. Despite its being a potent 5-HT_2A receptor agonist, 25I-NBOH is neither registered in the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) nor classified as a scheduled substance in most countries. Sweden and Brazil seem to be the only countries to control 25I-NBOH. To our knowledge, this is the first scientific report dealing with identification of 25I-NBOH in actual seizures.