Forensic Science International
September 1, 2000
G Sticht, H Käferstein
86 citations
In a case of magic mushroom ingestion, psilocin was detected in urine and serum. Most psilocin was excreted as the glucuronide conjugate, so enzymatic hydrolysis is recommended as an initial analysis step. Free psilocin in urine was 0.23 mg/l, total psilocin 1.76 mg/l. In serum, free psilocin was 0.018 mg/l, total psilocin 0.052 mg/l. Serum psilocin was too low for detection with REMEDi HS but was measured using GC-MS with d(3)-morphine as internal standard and silylation with MSTFA.
Forensic Science International
December 1, 2001
Karine M. Clauwaert, Jan F. van Bocxlaer, A.p. de Leenheer
69 citations
The designer drugs MDA, MDMA, and MDEA remain stable in water and urine for 21 weeks when stored in the dark at -20, 4, or 20 degrees Celsius. In serum, stability lasts up to 17 weeks, and in whole blood up to 5 weeks, after which matrix degradation prevents analysis, especially in low-concentration samples stored at room temperature. Storage at -20 degrees Celsius preserves the compounds for 21 weeks even in haemolysed whole blood.
Forensic Science International
January 1, 1999
Thomas Keller, Andrea Schneider, Priska Regenscheit et al.
50 citations
A new method using ion mobility spectrometry allows rapid analysis of psilocybin and psilocin in fungus material. Quantitative analysis was performed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after a simple one-step extraction: homogenizing dried fruit bodies in chloroform and derivatizing with MSTFA. The procedures are rapid and useful for analyzing psychotropic fungi for these compounds.
Forensic Science International
May 20, 2011
Jennifer L. Pilgrim, Dimitri Gerostamoulos, Noel Woodford et al.
44 citations
Combining MDMA (ecstasy) with moclobemide, a reversible MAO-A inhibitor, can cause fatal serotonin toxicity. Four deaths in Australia are reported where this drug interaction led to symptoms including hyperthermia, hyperkalemia, profuse sweating, twitching, and shaking. Two cases had moclobemide concentrations consistent with prescribed doses, while two had higher, toxic levels. Three of the four individuals had some form of heart disease. Despite known risks, few fatalities from this combination have been documented.
Forensic Science International
August 1, 1997
Frank Mußhoff, T. Daldrup
29 citations
A method to detect and measure LSD in blood serum uses liquid-liquid extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of a trimethylsilyl derivative. Tests on spiked samples recovered 76% of the LSD, with a coefficient of variation of 9.3%. The method is linear across 0.1–10 ng/ml. The work also presents evidence of LSD's sensitivity to light and includes case examples.
Forensic Science International
May 24, 2019
Xue Wei Sarah Chia, Mei Ching Ong, Yuan Yuan Cheryl Yeo et al.
26 citations
Blotter papers have traditionally been abused with LSD, but new psychedelic phenethylamines like 2C drugs and their N-benzylhydroxy (25-NBOH) and N-2-methoxybenzyl (25-NBOMe) derivatives now appear in the illicit market. GC-MS, the standard for drug analysis, fails for thermally labile 25-NBOH drugs because they degrade into 2C drugs during analysis. A non-thermal LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated to simultaneously identify twelve phenethylamines, their derivatives, and LSD without thermal degradation. The method was applied to seized blotter papers and Ecstasy tablets.
Forensic Science International
October 23, 2020
Anna Åstrand, Davide Guerrieri, Svante Vikingsson et al.
21 citations
Sixty new psychoactive substances (NPS) and their metabolites, including opioids, cannabinoids, and serotonergic hallucinogens, were screened for their ability to activate μ-opioid, CB1, 5-HT1A, and 5-HT2A receptors. Most substances activated their intended target receptor. Among μ-opioid agonists, 2-fluorofentanyl (EC50 = 1.0 nM), carfentanil (EC50 = 2.7 nM), and acrylfentanyl (EC50 = 2.8 nM) were the most potent, with a >1500-fold potency range across compounds. Furanylfentanyl, 4-methoxybutyrylfentanyl, and valerylfentanyl acted as partial agonists. On the 5-HT2A receptor, bromo-dragonfly was the most potent (EC50 = 0.05 nM, 400 times more potent than LSD), followed by NBOMe compounds (EC50 0.11–1.3 nM). Off-target μ-opioid activation occurred for piperazines, phenethylamines, and tryptamines. The synthetic cannabinoid metabolite 3-carboxy indole PB-22 activated 5-HT2A. Bromo-dragonfly activated all four receptors. These findings highlight complex, often overlapping targets among NPS.
Forensic Science International
April 20, 2021
Mengxi Liu, Huan Yang, Jing Hu et al.
14 citations
A fast and reliable UPLC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for measuring dimethyltryptamine (DMT) in hair samples. The method, which pulverizes 20-milligram hair samples with methanol below 4 °C, achieved a lower limit of quantitation of 3 pg/mg and a calibration curve with R² = 0.992. Intraday and interday precision (RSD < 15%) and accuracy (92-113%) were acceptable, and dilution integrity was confirmed. Applied to 28 forensic cases, DMT concentrations ranged from 3 to 1109 pg/mg.
Forensic Science International
April 17, 2020
Sarah Eller, Gabriela Ramos Borges, Daniela Souza Ossanes et al.
13 citations
A new ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed to measure ayahuasca alkaloids in seized herbal products. The method reliably quantifies N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), harmine, harmaline, and tetrahydroharmine, with detection limits of 10 ng/mL for DMT and 25 ng/mL for the β-carbolines. Analysis of four seized samples found DMT concentrations ranging from 31.5 to 46.5 mg/g, but no β-carbolines were detected. The variability in DMT content may help explain potential intoxication cases reported in the literature. The workflow is simple, rapid, and suitable for estimating psychoactive compound levels in forensic materials.
Forensic Science International
July 4, 2018
Pia Simona Bruni, Katharina Elisabeth Grafinger, Susanne Nussbaumer et al.
13 citations
4-Hydroxy-N-methyl-N-ethyltryptamine (4-HO-MET), a new psychoactive substance structurally similar to serotonin, is a serotonergic hallucinogen. To enable forensic urine analysis, its biotransformation was studied using pooled human liver microsomes and three authentic urine samples. Twelve different in vitro and four in vivo metabolites were identified. In vitro, major biotransformation steps included mono- or dihydroxylation, demethylation, demethylation with monohydroxylation, carboxylic acid formation, deethylation, and oxidative deamination. In vivo, monohydroxylation and glucuronidation were observed. A metabolic pathway was proposed. For forensic urine analysis, the N-oxide metabolite, HO-alkyl metabolite, glucuronides of 4-HO-MET, and the parent compound are recommended as target compounds.
Forensic Science International
December 16, 2021
3 citations
A metabolite of the medication ropinirole (N-despropyl-ropinirole) can cause a false positive for the new psychoactive substance 4-HO-MET in urine drug screening by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), a method usually considered highly reliable. The interference occurred because the two compounds share similar chemical structures, which fooled standard computer-aided spectral library matching. Careful manual review of mass spectra and comparison with a reference specimen correctly identified the compound. The finding underscores that scientists and pathologists must consider clinical context and drug history when interpreting toxicology results, and that mass spectra should be checked for relative ion ratios when results are questionable. Understanding drug metabolism is essential for troubleshooting such errors.
Forensic Science International
September 1, 1996
Nadia Fucci, Marcello Chiarotti
3 citations
Mescaline was effectively identified using advanced analytical methods, including gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, in a study involving 150 samples. The results showed a 95% accuracy rate in identifying this hallucinogen, highlighting the method's reliability. Additionally, the research demonstrated that these techniques could be applied to assess pharmacokinetics and efficacy of antibiotics, showcasing their versatility in both medicine and analytical chemistry. This approach not only aids in drug identification but also enhances our understanding of pharmacological interactions and biological effects.