Forensic science international
July 1, 2021
Thomas Gicquel, Camille Richeval, Vadim Mesli et al.
45 citations
A 42-year-old man was found dead at home with bags of 'research chemicals' powders. Toxicological analysis identified three new psychoactive substances (NPS) in his system: 2-fluoro-deschloroketamine (2F-DCK), 3-methoxyeticyclidine (3-MeO-PCE), and 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT), each with purity above 95%. Peripheral blood concentrations were 1780 µg/L for 2F-DCK, 90 µg/L for 3-MeO-PCE, and 52 µg/L for 5-MeO-DMT. The death was attributed to respiratory depression from a 'cocktail effect' of these substances combined with amphetamine and cocaine. Hair analysis showed a pattern of addiction over several months. This case provides analytical data to aid interpretation in future forensic cases involving arylcyclohexylamine derivatives.
Drug testing and analysis
January 1, 2022
Thomas Gicquel, Romain Pelletier, Camille Richeval et al.
32 citations
Thirteen metabolites of the dissociative drug 2-fluoro-deschloroketamine (2F-DCK) were produced in vitro using human liver microsomes and HepaRG liver cells. Seven additional metabolites, including three Phase II conjugates, were identified in post-mortem bile and urine from a fatal case. Molecular networking helped compare the two in vitro models, which proved complementary. The authors propose that nor-2F-DCK (mass-to-charge 208.1137) and a hydrogenated metabolite (224.1443) are reliable markers for detecting 2F-DCK use in high-resolution mass spectrometry libraries.
Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.)
January 1, 2022
Romain Pelletier, Brendan Le Daré, Loic Grandin et al.
22 citations
A 37-year-old man with a history of drug abuse was found unconscious with bags of powder labeled as research chemicals and traces of powder on his nose. He was rehydrated, intubated, and admitted to the intensive care unit. Urine analysis identified several new psychoactive substances, including high concentrations of 3-OH-PCP (12,085 mg/L) and 3-MeO-PCP (1,100 mg/L), along with 2F-DCK, N-ethylhexedrone, and CMC. Molecular networking, a bioinformatic approach, confirmed that the powders in the bags matched the substances found in the patient's urine. This case demonstrates how molecular networking can aid in sample comparison, target quantification methods, and support treatment decisions for intoxications involving arylcyclohexylamine compounds.
Emergency Care Journal
June 27, 2022
Brendan Le Daré, Romain Pelletier, Aurélien Couette et al.
1 citation
A 20-year-old man arrived at an emergency department in a state of euphoria, disorientation, intense visual hallucinations, episodic amnesia, and agitation requiring physical restraint after consuming an unusual form of hallucinogenic mushroom. The patient's family brought intact specimens, but no health professional could identify them. Toxicological screening detected psilocin in both the patient's urine and the mushrooms, guiding identification toward the Psilocybes genus. Ten hours after ingestion, the patient was discharged asymptomatic. Recognizing unusual forms of hallucinogenic mushrooms may help emergency physicians improve diagnosis and management, especially since hallucinogenic substances are not routinely tested in toxicological analyses.