title: Identification and quantification of synthetic cannabinoids in "spice-like" herbal mixtures: Update of the German situation for the spring of 2016.
abstract: In February 2016, nine "spice-like" products from German language internet shops were analyzed. In total, eight different synthetic cannabinoids were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), namely THJ-018, THJ-2201, MAB-CHMINACA, 5F-ADB, 5Cl-AKB48 (syn.: 5C-AKB48), 4-pentenyl-AKB48, MDMB-CHMICA and 5F-AB-PINACA. For the majority of products only one synthetic cannabinoid was identified as the active ingredient, while two products contained 2 and 5 compounds, respectively. For some of the identified cannabinoids (MAB-CHMINACA, 5Cl-AKB48 and 4-pentenyl-AKB48) no or only insufficient physico-chemical data were available in literature. To our knowledge 5Cl-AKB48 and 4-pentenyl-AKB48 were found for the first time in commercially available products, hence an in-depth characterization of these compounds by NMR, EI-MS, ESI-MS/MS, IR- and UV spectroscopy was conducted. In addition, all synthetic cannabinoids were quantified by a GC-MS method using JWH-018 as internal standard and the corresponding response factors to calculate the total amount of all synthetic cannabinoids in the commercial smoking mixtures. The content of synthetic cannabinoids in the investigated products ranged from 23 to 120mg/g (average: 57mg/g), while individual compounds ranged from 1 to 120mg/g.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Nico
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lindigkeit
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Central Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Hans-Martin
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Schiebel
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Central Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Uli
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Papke
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, Central NMR Laboratory, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Hagenring 30, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ludger
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ernst
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 1, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany. Electronic address: t.beuerle@tu-bs.de.
authors.forename: Till
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beuerle
mesh_terms: D002186:Cannabinoids / Q000737:chemistry*; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D013287:Illicit Drugs / Q000737:chemistry*; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D015394:Molecular Structure
chemical_list: D002186:Cannabinoids; D015198:Designer Drugs; D013287:Illicit Drugs
keywords: 4-Pentenyl-AKB48; 5Cl-AKB48; German situation; Spice; Synthetic cannabinoids; THJ-018