Methoxpropamine (MXPr) in powder, urine and hair samples: Analytical characterization and metabolite identification of a new threat.
Forensic science international April 1, 2022 R Goncalves, N Castaing, C Richeval et al. 10 citations
Methoxpropamine (MXPr), a dissociative drug similar to ketamine, was identified for the first time in France in urine, hair, and powder samples using nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry. In vitro experiments with pooled human liver microsomes and in silico predictions revealed three metabolites: N-despropyl(nor)MXPr, O-desmethyl MXPr, and dihydroMXPr. These metabolites were also detected in urine and hair from a consumer. The work highlights the challenge of identifying new psychoactive substances when they are absent from compound libraries and demonstrates that combining complementary analytical methods with high-resolution mass spectrometry is a promising approach for their molecular characterization.