title: Identification of novel psychoactive substances 25B-NBOMe and 4-CMC in biological material using HPLC-Q-TOF-MS and their quantification in blood using UPLC-MS/MS in case of severe intoxications.
abstract: This paper describes cases of poisoning caused by new psychoactive substances such as: 25B-NBOMe (2-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine) and 4-CMC (1-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(methylamino)-1-propanone). The analytical procedure includes rapid and selective method for the extraction and determination of 4-CMC and 25B-NBOMe in blood samples using UPLC-MS/MS technique. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report, that involves a fully validated method for quantification of new-designer drug - 4-CMC in postmortem blood samples. The biological material was also analyzed with the use of routine analytical methods: immunochemical techniques, gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and gas chromatography with electron impact mass spectrometry. The results of real samples analyses correspond to possible toxicological effects: death resulting from 25B-NBOMe - mediated hallucinations (661ng/mL of 25B-NBOMe and 0.887ng/mL of 4-CMC), fatal overdose of 25B-NBOMe and 4-CMC (66.5ng/mL of 25B-NBOMe and 2.14ng/mL of 4-CMC) and non-fatal intoxication of these drugs (38.4ng/mL of 25B NBOMe and 0.181ng/mL of 4-CMC). Additionally, O-demethylathed O, O-bis-demethylathed and glucuronidated metabolites of 25B-NBOMe in biological specimens were detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 23 Dębowa Street, 80-204, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiergowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Street, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland. Electronic address: aszykjustyna@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aszyk
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 23 Dębowa Street, 80-204, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaliszan
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Street, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Kamila
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilczewska
authors.affiliation: Pomeranian Toxicology Center and Department of Clinical Toxicology, Faculty of Health Sciences with Subfaculty of Nursing and Institute of Maritime and Tropical Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, Tuwima 15 Street, 80-210, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Jacek Sein
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Anand
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Street, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kot-Wasik
authors.affiliation: Department of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 23 Dębowa Street, 80-204, Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jankowski
mesh_terms: D000840:Anisoles / Q000097:blood*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D015198:Designer Drugs / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000097:blood*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000097:blood*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D053719:Tandem Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000840:Anisoles; D015198:Designer Drugs; D010627:Phenethylamines; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs; C000595926:2-(4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-((2-methoxyphenyl)methyl)ethanamine
keywords: 25B-NBOMe; 4-CMC; Drugs; Novel psychoactive substances; Quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry; Tandem mass spectrometry