Metabolite markers for three synthetic tryptamines N‐ethyl‐N‐propyltryptamine, 4‐hydroxy‐N‐ethyl‐N‐propyltryptamine, and 5‐methoxy‐N‐ethyl‐N‐propyltryptamine
Drug Testing and Analysis March 9, 2024 Marianne Skov‐Skov Bergh, Inger Lise Bogen, Katharina Elisabeth Grafinger et al. 2 citations
N-Ethyl-N-propyltryptamine (EPT), 4-hydroxy-N-ethyl-N-propyltryptamine (4-OH-EPT), and 5-methoxy-N-ethyl-N-propyltryptamine (5-MeO-EPT) are tryptamine-class new psychoactive substances sold online. Their metabolism was previously undescribed. Incubating these compounds with pooled human liver microsomes for up to 4 hours and analyzing with high-performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry revealed major metabolic pathways. EPT was primarily metabolized by hydroxylation, N-dealkylation, and carbonylation. 4-OH-EPT metabolism involved double bond formation, N-dealkylation, hydroxylation, and carbonylation. 5-MeO-EPT underwent O-demethylation, hydroxylation, and N-dealkylation. Unique metabolites for 4-OH-EPT were identified in a human postmortem blood sample from a suspected EPT or 4-OH-EPT intoxication, demonstrating the markers' forensic utility.