title: GC-MS analysis of the designer drug α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone and its metabolites in urine and blood in an acute poisoning case.
abstract: α-Pyrrolidinovalerophenone (α-PVP) is a synthetic cathinone belonging to the group of "second generation" pyrrolidinophenones that becomes more and more popular as a designer psychostimulant. Here we provide toxicological analytical support for a severe poisoning with α-PVP. Serum and urine samples that were sent to our laboratory were subjected to a general unknown screening procedure. The procedure includes immunoassay-based screening of drugs of abuse in serum and systematic toxicological analysis of urine and serum after neutral and basic liquid-liquid extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Whereas the immunoassay delivered negative results, analyzing the urine sample by GC-MS in full scan mode disclosed the presence of α-PVP and its metabolites α-(2″-oxo-pyrrolidino)valerophenone (2″-oxo-α-PVP) and 1-phenyl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pentan-1-ol (OH-α-PVP). In the acetylated urine sample we found additionally N,N-bis-dealkyl-PVP. In serum, α-PVP could be detected after solid phase extraction and a concentration of 29ng/mL was determined. Other forensic relevant substances were not detected. The presented data can explain the psychotic symptoms and behavioural pattern of the subject after abuse of α-PVP, leading to a clinical condition similar to excited delirium syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Forensic Toxicological Laboratory, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August-University, 37075 Göttingen, Germany. Electronic address: mgrapp@med.uni-goettingen.de.
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grapp
authors.affiliation: Institute of Legal Medicine, University Hospital Jena, 07740 Jena, Germany.
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sauer
authors.affiliation: State Criminal Police Office Niedersachsen, Forensic Science Institute, 30169 Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vidal
authors.affiliation: GIZ-Nord Poisons Center, University Medical Center Göttingen, Georg-August-University, 37075 Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D003693:Delirium / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000652:urine; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000097:blood* / Q000506:poisoning / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D015198:Designer Drugs; D011759:Pyrrolidines; C542924:alpha-pyrrolidinovalerophenone
keywords: Designer drug; Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; General unknown screening; Pyrrolidinophenone; α-Pyrrolidinovalerophenone