Sensitive and rapid quantification of the cannabinoid receptor agonist naphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone (JWH-018) in human serum by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.
The current paper describes a validated method for the detection and quantification of naphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone (JWH-018), an ingredient of a herbal mixture called "Spice", by means of HPLC-ESI-MS-MS in serum. Lower limit of detection and lower limit of quantification were 0.07 and 0.21 ng/ml, respectively. In 2 subjects who consumed ca. 50 μg/kg of JWH-018 by smoking, the active ingredient was detected by means of the described method. Thereby, the serum concentrations reached values of approx. 10 ng/ml and dropped within 3 h very fast (<10% of the measured maximum concentrations).
Teske
Jörg
J
Institute of Legal Medicine, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Strasse 1, D-30625 Hannover, Germany. teske.joerg@mh-hannover.de
Weller
Jens-Peter
JP
Fieguth
Armin
A
Rothämel
Thomas
T
Schulz
Yvonne
Y
Tröger
Hans Dieter
HD
D002138:Calibration; D063386:Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007211:Indoles / Q000097:blood*; D057230:Limit of Detection; D008385:Marijuana Smoking / Q000097:blood*; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000097:blood*; D011786:Quality Control; D012015:Reference Standards; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization / Q000379:methods*; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*
D063386:Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists; D007211:Indoles; D009281:Naphthalenes; C552597:1-pentyl-3-(1-naphthoyl)indole