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A multi-component LC-MS/MS method for detection of ten plant-derived psychoactive substances in urine.

Kristian Björnstad, Olof Beck, Anders Helander

Journal of chromatography. B, Analytical technologies in the biomedical and life sciences April 15, 2009 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2009.03.004 via PubMed

Summary

AI-generated from the abstract

A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was developed to detect ten plant-derived psychoactive substances in urine simultaneously. The method uses direct injection of diluted urine with three deuterated internal standards, achieving separation in 14 minutes. Calibration curves were linear with correlation coefficients above 0.999. Imprecision at high (1000 micrograms per liter) and low (50 micrograms per liter) concentrations ranged from 4.9% to 13.8% and 8.3% to 26%, respectively. Ion suppression effects were limited. The method proved useful for investigating authentic intoxication cases and covered clinically relevant concentration ranges.

Study at a glance

Characteristics Method development and validation Peer reviewed
Keywords Psychoactive compound screening Toxin identification Drug testing Intoxicant detection Compound detection
Citations 71
Key finding The developed LC-MS/MS method can simultaneously detect ten plant-derived psychoactive substances in urine with good linearity and precision, and is suitable for clinical intoxication cases.

Abstract

A sensitive and specific LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous detection of 10 plant-derived psychoactive substances (atropine, N,N-dimethyltryptamine, ephedrine, harmaline, harmine, ibogaine, lysergic acid amide, psilocin, scopolamine and yohimbine) in urine was developed. Direct injection of urine diluted with 3 deuterated internal standards allowed for a readily accessible method suitable for application in clinical intoxication cases. Separation was achieved using reversed phase chromatography and gradient elution with a total analysis time of 14 min. Electrospray ionization was used and ions were monitored in the positive selected reaction monitoring mode. The calibration curves were linear (r(2)>0.999) and the total imprecision at high (1000 microg/L) and low (50 microg/L) substance concentrations were 4.9-13.8% and 8.3-26%, respectively. Infusing the analytes post column and injecting matrix samples showed limited influence by ion suppression. The multi-component method proved to be useful for investigation of authentic cases of intoxication with plant-derived psychoactive drugs and was indicated to cover the clinically relevant concentration ranges.

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