Cathinone derivatives are one of the more prominent groups of new psychoactive substances in terms of the number of forensic case reports and the variety of chemical structures available. These substances often sold as "bath salts" are classified as psychostimulants. Using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry, the metabolites of two pyrrolidine cathinone derivatives, α-PBP and the less common MDPHP, were tentatively identified in urine samples collected from patients admitted to hospital following drug intoxications. The major metabolic pathways for α-PBP and MDPHP were similar to those of their more common analogs (α-PVP and MDPV). Metabolites arising from hydroxylation, reduction of the carbonyl group to an alcohol, oxidation to form a lactam and subsequent ring-opening, and a combination of these processes were identified. In addition, biotransformations of the benzodioxole moiety in MDPHP included demethylenation with subsequent methylation and carboxylation of the butyl group. The majority of the hydroxylated metabolites of α-PBP and MDPHP were found to be glucuronidated. Both α-PBP and MDPHP undergo extensive metabolism and the chromatographic peak areas of the metabolites were found to be comparable to or exceeded those of the parent substances. Metabolites resulting from demethylenation and subsequent methylation (MDPHP), reduction of carbonyl group (α-PBP), and oxidation to form a lactam combined with ring-opening (α-PBP and MDPHP) were found to be the most useful target analytes for the confirmation of ingestion.

The aim of the research is to study both analytical features of synthetic MDMB(N)-073F cannabimimetics of indazole carboxamides group by gas chromatography methods combined with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS) as well as characteristics of the major MDMB(N)-073F metabolite, its glucuronide and derivatives, using gas chromatography with mass-spectrometric (GC-MS) detection and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with MS/MS mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in urine samples to be applied in expert practice, chemical-toxicological and forensic and chemical analyses.Materials and methods. To carry out the study, the following materials were used: plant-based objects with narcotic drugs withdrawn from illegal trafficking and applied to them;. urine samples to be studied under chemical-toxicological and forensic and chemical analyses. For solid-phase epitaxy, SampliQ EVIDEX TFE cartridges – 200 mg – 3 ml (Agilent, USA) were used for sample preparation; β-glucuronidase, Type HP-2, From Helix Pomatia, 100000 UA/ml (Sigma-ALDRICH CHEMI, Germany) was used for enzymatic hydrolysis. GC-MS/MS analysis was made using Agilent 7890 gas chromatograph with a tandem quadrupolar mass-spectrometer Agilent 7000 (Agilent, США); GC-MS analysis was carrid out using gas chromatograph Agilent 7820 with mass-selective detector Agilent 5975 (Agilent, USA); HPLC-HRMS research was made on liquid chromatograph Agilent 1260 with tandem hybrid high-resolution quadrupole-time-of-flight detector Agilent 6540 (Agilent, США); liquid chromatograph Agilent 1260 with Agilent 6460 (Agilent, USA) with tandem mass-spectrometer were used for making HPLC-MS/MS research.Results. The structure of MDMB(N)-073F compound has been confirmed and an exact mass of the protonated molecule corresponding to the chemical formula C19H27FN3O3 fixed by GC-MS/MS and HPLC-HRMS methods. Spectral characteristics of MDMB(N)-073F have been given. One of the branches in MDMB(N)-073F biotransformation in the human body found out by GC-MS and HPLC-MS/MS methods, is the ester decomposition with further conjugation of the resulting acid. The product interacting with glucuronic acid, is found to be the conjugate of major MDMB(N)-073F metabolite of the Ist phase in biotransformation. Metabolites appearing due to the ester decomposition and its conjugate with glucuronic acid, are recommended to be used as markers for synthetic MDMB(N)-073F cannabimimetics in the analysis by chromatographic methods; they can be used for regular screening of biological samples.Conclusion. The research results presented here, are the following: the analytical features characteristic for synthetic MDMB(N)-073F cannabimimetics found out by gas chromatography methods combined with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/ MS) and liquid chromatography of hybrid high-resolution quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-HRMS), as well as characteristics of major MDMB(N)-073F metabolite, its glucuronide and derivatives with the use of gas chromatography with mass-spectrometric detection (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) in urine samples to be applied in expert practice, chemical-toxicological, forensic and chemical analyses.

Background. At the beginning of 2019, the use of a new representative of synthetic cannabimimetics of the methylbutanoate indazole carboxamides group, MDMB(N)-073F, was recorded in a number of regions in the Russian Federation. Characteristic features of the pharmacological effect, the clinical picture of MDMB(N)-073F poisoning have not been studied, the psychoactive effects produced by MDMB(N)-073F remain unexplored. In this regard, the study of the new cannabimimetic metabolism is an important aspect in establishing the fact of taking MDMB(N)-073F during expert studies of biological objects.The aim of the research is identifying metabolites of synthetic MDMB(N)-73F cannabimimetics in real urine samples using solid-phase extraction (SPE) and gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectrometric detection (GC-MS).Materials and methods. 10 urine samples were collected from March 15 to March 29, 2019. 8 urine samples were taken from the medical examination offices of the city of Yekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk region from the persons examined for intoxication; 2 urine samples were obtained from the patients of the Sverdlovsk regional center of acute poisoning upon enrolment to the toxic-intensive care unit with a preliminary diagnosis of “acute poisoning by synthetic cannabimimetics”. In the research, SampliQ EVIDEX-200 mg – 3 ml (Agilent, USA) cartridges were used for the sample preparation; β-glucuronidase Type HP-2, From Helix Pomatia, 100000 U/ml (Sigma-ALDRICH CHEMI, Germany) was used for enzymatic hydrolysis. Gas chromatography – mass spectrometry with the use of Agilent 7820 gas chromatograph with Agilent 5975 mass selective detector (Agilent, USA) was used as an instrumental method of the analysis.Results. The metabolites that make it possible to establish the fact of taking MDMB(N)-073F cannabimimetics via urine screening procedure to detect the presence of narcotic and medicinal substances with the use of solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography methods with mass spectrometry, have been described. The major metabolites MDMB(N)-073F in the urine of smoking mixtures consumers have been identified. The metabolism of MDMB(N)-073F has been found to be mainly due to hydrolysis of the ester group, hydroxylation, oxidative defluorination and N-dealkylation. Most of the resulting metabolites are excreted in the urine in the conjugated form.Conclusion. Gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric characteristics of some derivatives of the main metabolites of the new synthetic MDMB(N)-073F cannabimimetic have been obtained. This data can be used in the practice of forensic chemical and chemical toxicological analysis.

No abstract