Quantification of the plant-derived hallucinogen Salvinorin A in conventional and non-conventional biological fluids by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry after Salvia divinorum smoking.
Simona Pichini, Sergio Abanades, Magí Farré, Manuela Pellegrini, Emilia Marchei, Roberta Pacifici, Rafael de la Torre, Piergiorgio Zuccaro
Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM January 1, 2005 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.1970 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA gas chromatography–mass spectrometry method was developed and validated to measure Salvinorin A, the main active compound in the hallucinogenic plant Salvia divinorum, in plasma, urine, saliva, and sweat. The method uses 17-alpha-methyltestosterone as an internal standard and extracts the compound with a chloroform/isopropanol mixture. It was validated over a concentration range of 0.015–5 microg/mL for plasma, urine, and saliva, and 0.01–5 microg/patch for sweat, with mean recoveries of 77.1–92.7% and precision and accuracy better than 15%. When applied to two consumers after smoking 75 mg of plant leaves, Salvinorin A was detected in urine (2.4 and 10.9 ng/mL) and saliva (11.1 and 25.0 ng/mL), but not in sweat patches.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Method validation and application Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 2 |
| Population | Two consumers of Salvia divinorum |
| Dose | 75 mg plant leaves |
| Topics | Salvia divinorum |
| Keywords | Hallucinogen Active compound Plant Consumption |
| Citations | 58 |
| Key finding | Salvinorin A was detected in urine and saliva but not in sweat patches from two consumers after smoking 75 mg of plant leaves. |
Abstract
A gas chromatography method with mass spectrometric detection is described for the determination of Salvinorin A, the main active ingredient of the hallucinogenic mint Salvia divinorum. The method was validated in plasma, urine, saliva and sweat using 17-alpha-methyltestosterone as internal standard. The analytes were extracted from biological matrices with chloroform/isopropanol (9:1, v/v). Chromatography was performed on a 5% phenyl methyl silicone capillary column and analytes were determined in the selected ion monitoring mode. The method was validated over the concentration range 0.015-5 microg/mL plasma, urine and saliva and 0.01-5 microg/patch in the case of sweat. Mean recoveries ranged between 77.1 and 92.7% for Salvinorin A in different biological matrices, with precision and accuracy always better than 15%. The method was applied to the analysis of urine, saliva and sweat from two consumers after smoking 75 mg plant leaves to verify the presence of the active ingredient of S. divinorum in human biological fluids as a biomarker of plant consumption. Salvinorin A was detected in urine (2.4 and 10.9 ng/mL) and saliva (11.1 and 25.0 ng/mL), but not in sweat patches from consumers.