Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
June 9, 2008
Simona Pichini, Mitona Pujadas, Emilia Marchei et al.
59 citations
A liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method was developed to measure ten designer drugs—including MDMA, several 2C-series phenethylamines, m-CPP, and tryptamines—in urine samples from 32 consumers. Solid-phase extraction at pH 6 was applied to both non-hydrolyzed and enzymatically hydrolyzed urine, with 3,4-methylendioxypropylamphetamine (MDPA) as an internal standard. Chromatographic separation used a C18 column with a gradient of ammonium bicarbonate and acetonitrile, and detection was performed in single ion monitoring mode with electrospray ionization. Limits of quantification ranged from 20 to 60 ng/mL, calibration curves were linear to 2000 ng/mL, and mean recoveries were 55.4–95.6%. Higher analyte concentrations in hydrolyzed samples indicated the presence of conjugated compounds.
Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM
January 1, 2005
Simona Pichini, Sergio Abanades, Magí Farré et al.
58 citations
A gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method was developed and validated to measure Salvinorin A, the main active compound in the hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum, in plasma, urine, saliva, and sweat. The method uses 17-alpha-methyltestosterone as an internal standard and extracts the compound with a chloroform/isopropanol mixture. It was validated over a concentration range of 0.015–5 microg/mL for plasma, urine, and saliva, and 0.01–5 microg/patch for sweat, with mean recoveries of 77.1–92.7% and precision and accuracy better than 15%. When applied to two consumers after smoking 75 mg of plant leaves, Salvinorin A was detected in urine (2.4 and 10.9 ng/mL) and saliva (11.1 and 25.0 ng/mL), but not in sweat patches.
Journal of pharmaceutical and biomedical analysis
November 1, 2014
Simona Pichini, Emilia Marchei, Oscar García-algar et al.
44 citations
A new laboratory method using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry can detect and measure mescaline, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, psilocin, psilocybin, and salvinorin A in hair from people who use psychedelic plants such as peyote, trichocereus cacti, psilocybe mushrooms, Salvia divinorum, or the beverage ayahuasca. The method is accurate and precise, with detection limits as low as 0.03–0.05 nanograms per milligram of hair. Testing on actual users found mescaline at 0.08–0.13 ng/mg in peyote smokers, 3.2 ng/mg salvinorin A in a Salvia divinorum smoker, 5.6 ng/mg N,N-dimethyltryptamine in an ayahuasca user, and 0.8 ng/mg psilocybin in a psilocybe consumer.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
July 22, 2005
Óscar García‐algar, Nuria L Pez, M. Á. Bonet et al.
39 citations
An infant admitted to a pediatric emergency department had accidentally ingested MDMA (ecstasy), detected through urine drug testing. The infant's hydrolyzed urine contained 11.7 mg/L of MDMA and 34.4 mg/L of its main metabolite HMMA. Symptoms including apparent febrile convulsions and cardiovascular side effects resolved within one day after treatment with benzodiazepines. Segmental hair analysis also revealed chronic exposure to cocaine. The mother consistently denied any drugs in the home, complicating diagnosis. Periodic clinical and laboratory follow-ups were recommended to monitor long-term effects of illicit drug exposure and to ensure the child's removal from dangerous environments.
Drug Testing and Analysis
August 9, 2012
Manuela Pellegrini, Maria Concetta Rotolo, Emilia Marchei et al.
21 citations
A liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method was developed to rapidly measure psilocybin and psilocin in Psilocybe sclerotia, known as magic truffles. After a simple methanol extraction, the alkaloids were separated on a reversed-phase column and detected using electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The method was linear over the calibration range with correlation coefficients above 0.99, detection limits of 0.3 µg per 100 mg, and quantification limits of 1 µg per 100 mg. Only psilocybin was found in the examined sclerotia, with concentrations ranging from 59.3 to 167.8 µg per 100 mg of fresh material.