Journal of Analytical Toxicology
October 1, 2009
T. T. Abraham, Allan J. Barnes, Richie H. Lowe et al.
56 citations
After a single oral dose of MDMA (ecstasy), the drug and its metabolites are excreted in urine over an extended period, with the metabolite HMMA detectable longer than MDMA itself. In a double-blind study, healthy adult MDMA users received placebo, 1.0 mg/kg, or 1.6 mg/kg doses. From 916 urine specimens provided by 16 participants, median peak concentrations after the higher dose were 21,470 ng/mL for MDMA and 20,793 ng/mL for HMMA, with HMMA's last detection exceeding MDMA's by over 33 hours. In the first 24 hours, 30.2-34.3% of total urinary excretion occurred. Including HMMA in urine testing improves detection of MDMA exposure but requires hydrolysis of the sample.
Clinical Chemistry
January 23, 2009
Allan J. Barnes, Bruno Spinosa de Martinis, David A. Gorelick et al.
38 citations
In a controlled study, 15 healthy volunteers with prior MDMA use received placebo, low (1.0 mg/kg), and high (1.6 mg/kg) oral doses of MDMA in random order while wearing sweat patches for up to 7 days. MDMA was the main substance found in 59.7% of patches, with concentrations up to 3007 ng/patch; its metabolite MDA appeared in 29.4% of patches at lower levels, while other metabolites were undetected. At the 25-ng/patch threshold, 35% of patches were positive for MDMA. Sweat testing reliably detects MDMA use, but high variability in excretion means results should be interpreted qualitatively, not quantitatively.
Clinical Chemistry
October 7, 2011
Andrea E. Schwaninger, Markus R. Meyer, Allan J. Barnes et al.
33 citations
After oral MDMA (ecstasy) intake, human urine contains mostly sulfate and glucuronide conjugates of MDMA metabolites, with sulfates present at higher concentrations than glucuronides. More than 90% of the metabolites DHMA and HMMA were excreted as conjugates. HMMA sulfate had the longest detection window in urine. The ratio of HMMA sulfate to glucuronide was 2.0, and the ratio of DHMA 3-sulfate to 4-sulfate was 5.3 during the first 24 hours, matching predictions from earlier lab experiments. These findings can improve direct urine analysis for MDMA and its metabolites in clinical and forensic toxicology.
Biochemical Pharmacology
September 29, 2011
Andrea E. Schwaninger, Markus R. Meyer, Allan J. Barnes et al.
23 citations
The R- and S-enantiomers of MDMA are eliminated differently in human urine. After controlled oral doses of 1.0 and 1.6 mg/kg, urine from ten participants was analyzed. Over five days, a median of 21% of the measured compounds were excreted as R-stereoisomers and 17% as S-stereoisomers. Significantly more R-enantiomers of MDMA, DHMA, and HMMA sulfate were excreted, while more S-stereoisomers of HMMA and HMMA glucuronide were excreted. No significant differences appeared for MDA and DHMA sulfate. The ratio of R- to S-stereoisomers changed steadily over the first 48 hours, suggesting it could help estimate time of MDMA ingestion in clinical and forensic toxicology.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
October 1, 2011
Allan J. Barnes, Karl B. Scheidweiler, Erin A. Kolbrich-Spargo et al.
22 citations
Oral fluid testing can detect a single recreational dose of MDMA (70-150 mg) for 1 to 2 days after use. These findings from controlled administration studies give a scientific foundation for interpreting MDMA oral fluid test results.
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs
March 15, 2019
Matthew J. Baggott, Kathleen J. Garrison, Jeremy Coyle et al.
20 citations
The drug MDA, an entactogen similar to MDMA (ecstasy), produces longer-lasting emotional and physiological effects than MDMA. In a controlled experiment with healthy volunteers, a single oral dose of 1.4 mg/kg MDA increased heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones (cortisol and prolactin) to levels comparable to those from a 1.5 mg/kg dose of MDMA. However, participants' self-reported drug effects from MDA remained elevated for at least 8 hours, whereas MDMA effects subsided by 6 hours. Blood measurements showed that MDA and its metabolite HMA reached peak concentrations of about 229 µg/L and 92 µg/L, respectively. Because the two drugs had similar blood-level profiles, the longer duration of MDA's effects likely stems from differences in how it acts on the brain rather than from slower elimination.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring
May 20, 2015
Dīlek Battal, Allan J. Barnes, Marisol S. Castaneto et al.
6 citations
Mescaline, the psychoactive compound in peyote cactus, has been used for centuries in religious ceremonies. The US military investigated whether mescaline use posed a problem for personnel readiness. Twenty thousand seventeen urine specimens, already negative for other drugs, were screened for mescaline using a biochip array immunoassay. A sensitive gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for quantification, with a linear range of 1 to 250 mcg/L and high accuracy. Of 526 presumptive-positive and 198 negative specimens tested, none confirmed positive at the quantification limit of 1 mcg/L. Results suggest insufficient mescaline use in the military to warrant routine screening, though stability may have affected prevalence.