title: Detection and assay of cis- and trans-isomers of 4-methylaminorex in urine, plasma and tissue samples.
abstract: The 4-methylaminorex (4-MAX) is an amphetamine-related psychostimulant drug that has appeared on the clandestine market with a street name of "U4Euh". This compound exists as four stereoisomers, trans-4R,5R, trans-4S,5S, cis-4R,5S and cis-4S,5R, of which the cis forms have been classified as Schedule I substances in the US. The increasing variety of designer drugs has highlighted the importance of detection, identification, and quantitative measurement of these drugs, including 4-MAX, in biological samples. In the present study, the isomers of 4-MAX were detected in urine of rats treated with the drugs by some but not all of the on-site immunoassays tested, mainly as amphetamine or methamphetamine. To facilitate identification of 4-MAX by laboratories specialized in drug analysis, the electron-ionization mass spectrum and TLC data for underivatized 4-MAX using a routine laboratory drug-screening procedure is provided. In addition, a GC/MS method is described for the quantitative determination of cis- and trans-4-MAX as tert-butyldimethylsilyl-derivatives in plasma, urine and tissue.
authors.affiliation: Research Unit on Substance Abuse, Department of Mental Health and Alcohol Research, National Public Health Institute, Mannerheimintie 166, FIN-00300 Helsinki, Finland. aino.kankaanpaa@ktl.fi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kankaanpää
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Meririnne
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ellermaa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ariniemi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seppälä
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D017248:Enzyme Multiplied Immunoassay Technique; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D010080:Oxazoles / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: D013287:Illicit Drugs; D010080:Oxazoles; C000081:4-methylaminorex