title: Ethylone-Related Deaths: Toxicological Findings.
abstract: Synthetic cathinones are an emerging class of designer drugs, frequently with deceptive labels and a multitude of analogs to circumvent drug control regulations. Research regarding the pharmacological effects and toxicity of these amphetamine derivatives is scarce, heightening the risk to the public health and safety. The composition of synthetic cathinone products continually changes and laboratories began to notice ethylone-positive products in late 2011. This report presents nine postmortem cases in whom ethylone was identified. Ethylone was isolated using solid-phase extraction and detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Seven of the cases had measurable concentrations of ethylone in blood, ranging from 38 to 2,572 ng/mL; ethylone was detected in the blood sample of one case with a concentration below the assay limit of quantification (25 ng/mL), and one case did not have detectable ethylone in blood. Besides ethylone, all but one case were also positive for 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol; seven cases had other drugs quantified in blood, including ethanol, alprazolam, benzoylecgonine, diphenhydramine, morphine and tramadol. In five cases where ethylone was present at blood concentrations >400 ng/mL, no other drugs excluding ethanol, cannabis metabolite and doxylamine (one case) were found. The assay also tested for mephedrone, methylone and three dimethoxyamphetamine analogs; no case was positive for these analytes. The present report documents postmortem blood concentrations of ethylone, a novel synthetic cathinone, along with other concurrently identified substances. The findings provide valuable information for developing analytical assays and evaluating a toxic concentration range of ethylone.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology Laboratory, Division of Forensic Medicine, Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 4800 SW 35th Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
authors.forename: Dayong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology Laboratory, Division of Forensic Medicine, Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 4800 SW 35th Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
authors.forename: Chris W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Chronister
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology Laboratory, Division of Forensic Medicine, Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 4800 SW 35th Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoyer
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicology Laboratory, Division of Forensic Medicine, Department of Pathology, Immunology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, 4800 SW 35th Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA bruce-goldberger@ufl.edu.
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Goldberger
mesh_terms: D000096:Acetone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D002423:Cause of Death; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D062787:Drug Overdose / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D005021:Ethylamines / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000506:poisoning*; D053593:Forensic Toxicology / Q000379:methods*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D052616:Solid Phase Extraction; D015813:Substance Abuse Detection / Q000379:methods*; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C000599434:2-ethylammonio-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propane-1-one chloride; D015198:Designer Drugs; D005021:Ethylamines; D000096:Acetone