title: Identification of impurities and statistical classification of methamphetamine tablets (Ya-Ba) seized in Thailand.
abstract: Impurity profiles of methamphetamine tablets seized in Thailand have been investigated. The samples are extracted with small amounts of ethyl acetate under alkaline condition and the extracts are analyzed by capillary gas chromatography. Nine compounds (1,2-dimethyl-3-phenylaziridine, ephedrine, methylephedrine, N-formylmethamphetamine, N-acetylmethamphetamine, N-formylephedrine, N-acetylephedrine, N,O-diacetylephedrie, methamphetamine dimer) are identified as impurities in methamphetamine tablet. Caffeine and ethyl vanillin are also detected as diluents and/or adulterants, and acetylcodeine monoacetylmorphine and diacetylmorphine are contained in many samples. In addition, trans-3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyl-2-oxazolidone is newly found as an impurity. For characterization and comparison of methamphetamine tablet exhibits, intensely and commonly detectable nine peaks are selected as the factor for multivariate analysis. The procedures reported here permit classification of 250 analyzed exhibits into five groups and characterization of classified groups.
authors.affiliation: Office of the Narcotics Control Board, Scientific Narcotics Detection Division, 5 Din-Deang, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
authors.forename: Vichet
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Puthaviriyakorn
authors.forename: Narinee
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Siriviriyasomboon
authors.forename: Juthamard
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Phorachata
authors.forename: Wiphada
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Pan-ox
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000032:analysis*; D002849:Chromatography, Gas; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004340:Drug Contamination; D008694:Methamphetamine / Q000032:analysis*; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D008694:Methamphetamine