title: Determination of psychotropic phenylalkylamine derivatives in biological matrices by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection.
abstract: Several procedures using high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode-array detection have been developed to create phytochemical and toxicological profiles of phenylalkylamine derivatives in biological samples (e.g. plant materials and urine). Mescaline-containing cactus samples were extracted with basic methanol, using methoxamine as internal standard; the extraction and clean-up of urine samples were performed on cation-exchange solid-phase extraction columns. The extracts were separated on a 3-micron ODS column with acetonitrile-water-phosphoric acid-hexylamine as the mobile phase. Peak detection was performed at 198 or 205 nm; peak identity and homogeneity were ascertained by on-line scanning of the UV spectra from 190 to 300 nm. The detection limit of phenylalkylamine derivatives in urine and cactus material was 0.026-0.056 micrograms/ml and 0.04 micrograms/mg, respectively. Following a single oral dose of 1.7 mg/kg methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) the concentrations found in urine ranged from 1.48 to 5.05 micrograms/ml MDMA and 0.07-0.90 micrograms/ml methylenedioxyamphetamine (a metabolite of MDMA). The mescaline content of the cactus Trichocereus pachanoi varied between 1.09 and 23.75 micrograms/mg.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacy, University of Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Helmlin
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brenneisen
mesh_terms: D000662:Amphetamines / Q000652:urine*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D015198:Designer Drugs; D006801:Humans; D008635:Mescaline / Q000652:urine*; D008729:Methoxamine / Q000652:urine*; D010645:Phentermine / Q000652:urine*; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; D015198:Designer Drugs; D010645:Phentermine; D008729:Methoxamine; D008635:Mescaline