Characterization of the synthetic cannabinoid MDMB-CHMCZCA

Synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists (SCRAs) first appeared on the international recreational drug market in the early 2000s in the form of SCRA‐containing herbal blends. Due to the cannabimimetic effects associated with the consumption of SCRAs, they have acquired an ill‐informed reputation for being cheap, safe, and legal alternatives to illicit cannabis. Possessing high potency and affinity for the human cannabinoid receptor subtype‐1 (CB1) and ‐2 (CB2), it is now understood that the recreational use of SCRAs can have severe adverse health consequences. The major public health problem arising from SCRA use has pressed legislators around the world to employ various control strategies to curb their recreational use. To circumvent legislative control measures, SCRA manufacturers have created a wide range of SCRA analogs that contain, more recently, previously unencountered azaindole, γ‐carbolinone, or carbazole heterocyclic scaffolds. At present, little information is available regarding the chemical syntheses of these newly emerging classes of SCRA, from a clandestine perspective. When compared with previous generations of indole‐ and indazole‐type SCRAs, current research suggests that many of these heterocyclic SCRA analogs maintain high affinity and efficacy at both CB1 and CB2 but largely evade legislative control. This review highlights the importance of continued research in the field of SCRA chemistry and pharmacology, as recreational SCRA use remains a global public health issue and represents a serious control challenge for law enforcement agencies.

Section: Carbazolessupporting

confidence: 91%

Adding more “spice” to the pot: A review of the chemistry and pharmacology of newly emerging heterocyclic synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists

Alam

Keating

2020

“…A structural class bypassing this law is represented by the carbazole derivatives, e.g. EG‐018, MDMB‐CHMCZCA, which show relatively low potency when compared to other groups of synthetic cannabinoids, as described in previous studies (eg, EC 50 (EG‐018) = 40.7 nM; EC 50 (JWH‐018) = 1.13 nM) . The synthetic cannabinoid identified here represents a structure not covered by the NpSG in Germany.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Structural characterization and pharmacological evaluation of the new synthetic cannabinoid CUMYL‐PEGACLONE

Angerer

Mogler

Steitz

et al. 2017

The number of new psychoactive substances (NPS) that have emerged on the European market has been rapidly growing in recent years, with a particularly high number of new compounds from the group of synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonists. There have been various political efforts to control the trade and the use of NPS worldwide. In Germany, the Act to control the distribution of new psychoactive substances (NpSG) came into force in November 2016. In this new act, two groups of substances were defined, the group "cannabimimetics/synthetic cannabinoids" covering indole, indazole, and benzimidazole core structures, and a second group named "compounds derived from 2-phenethylamine." Shortly after, the first retailers of "herbal blends" promoted new products allegedly not violating the German NpSG. We describe the identification and structural elucidation of one of the first synthetic cannabinoids not being covered by the NpSG, 5-pentyl-2-(2-phenylpropan-2-yl)-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrido[4,3-b]indol-1-one. For isolation of the substance a flash chromatography separation was applied. The structure elucidation was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), gas chromatography-solid state infrared spectroscopy (GC-sIR), liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time of flight-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-qToF-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. Additionally, binding affinity towards the cannabinoid receptors CB and CB and efficacy in a cAMP accumulation assay were measured, showing full agonistic activity and high potency at both receptors. The new compound bears a γ-carboline core structure circumventing the German NpSG and the generic definitions in other national laws. As a semi-systematic name for 2-cumyl-5-pentyl-gamma-carbolin-1-one CUMYL-PEGACLONE is suggested.

“…7 Recently, the in vitro metabolism of EG-018 in human hepatocytes was published. 9 MDMB-CHMZCA is the carbazole analog of MDMB-CHMICA (methyl 2-(1-(cyclohexylmethyl)-1Hindole-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate), a highly potent SC which is associated with numerous cases of severe intoxications and deaths. MDMB-CHMCZCA (methyl 2-(9-(cyclohexylmethyl)-9H-carbazole-3carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate) is one of the latest representatives of carbazole derived SCs.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Phase I metabolism of the carbazole‐derived synthetic cannabinoids EG‐018, EG‐2201, and MDMB‐CHMCZCA and detection in human urine samples

Mogler

Franz

Wilde

et al. 2018

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are a structurally diverse class of new psychoactive substances. Most SCs used for recreational purposes are based on indole or indazole core structures. EG-018 (naphthalen-1-yl(9-pentyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)methanone), EG-2201 ((9-(5-fluoropentyl)-9H-carbazol-3-yl)(naphthalen-1-yl)methanone), and MDMB-CHMCZCA (methyl 2-(9-(cyclohexylmethyl)-9H-carbazole-3-carboxamido)-3,3-dimethylbutanoate) are 3 representatives of a structural subclass of SCs, characterized by a carbazole core system. In vitro and in vivo phase I metabolism studies were conducted to identify the most suitable metabolites for the detection of these substances in urine screening. Detection and characterization of metabolites were performed by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) and liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QToF-MS). Eleven in vivo metabolites were detected in urine samples positive for metabolites of EG-018 (n = 8). A hydroxypentyl metabolite, most probably the 4-hydroxypentyl isomer, and an N-dealkylated metabolite mono-hydroxylated at the carbazole core system were most abundant. In vitro studies of EG-018 and EG-2201 indicated that oxidative defluorination of the 5-fluoropentyl side chain of EG-2201 as well as dealkylation led to common metabolites with EG-018. This has to be taken into account for interpretation of analytical findings. A differentiation between EG-018 and EG-2201 (n = 1) uptake is possible by the detection of compound-specific in vivo phase I metabolites evaluated in this study. Out of 30 metabolites detected in urine samples of MDMB-CHMCZCA users (n = 20), a metabolite mono-hydroxylated at the cyclohexyl methyl tail is considered the most suitable compound-specific consumption marker while a biotransformation product of mono-hydroxylation in combination with hydrolysis of the terminal methyl ester function provides best sensitivity due to its high abundance.