Search

Purpose The present study aims to develop a forensic toxicological library to identify 56 natural toxic substances by liquid chromatography–quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC–QTOF-MS/MS). Methods For setting up the library of product ion spectra, individual substances (31 plant toxins, 7 mushroom toxins, 5 marine toxins, 5 frog venoms, 4 mycotoxins, and 4 substances derived from plants) were analyzed by LC–QTOF-MS/MS with positive and negative ionization. The product ion spectra were acquired at the collision energies (CEs) of 20, 35, and 50 eV in single enhanced product ion mode and then in collision energy spread mode in which the CE ramp range was set to 35 ± 15 eV. Results To test the performance of the library, human blood plasma samples were spiked with a mixture of lycorine and domoic acid, extracted by acetonitrile deproteinization and analyzed by LC–QTOF-MS/MS. Identification by our library search could be achieved for these toxins at the purity scores of 79.1 and 67.2, respectively. The method was also applied to postmortem blood from a death case with an aconite intake, and showed that four toxins in an aconite could be identified in the blood sample at the purity scores of 54.6–60.3. Conclusions This library will be more effective for the screening of natural toxic substances in routine forensic toxicological analysis. To our knowledge, there are no reports dealing with development of library for natural toxic substances by LC–QTOF-MS/MS.

Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) are known to have structural or positional isomers. While regulations on synthetic drugs like synthetic cathinones and SCs have been placed worldwide for the ever-growing variety of new designer drugs, laws may not necessarily be applicable to their isomers. Toxicological differences may also exist among isomers for which most new designer drugs are still uninvestigated; thus, isomer differentiation becomes of forensic importance. The aim of this study was to differentiate the regioisomers of alkyl-substituted naphthoylindole-type SCs JWH-122 and JWH-210. Reference standards of the two drugs and their regioisomers were analyzed by gas chromatography–electron ionization-mass spectrometry (GC–EI-MS) first in full scan mode. Isomers that produced identical EI spectra were further analyzed by GC-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) by selecting appropriate precursor ions. For JWH-210, comparison of the product ion spectra and the relative ion intensity ratios obtained from precursor ions at m/z 312 and 183 enabled differentiation between all seven regioisomers. Complete isomeric differentiation by MS/MS analysis was not attainable for JWH-122; however, combining chromatographic results with MS/MS analysis results enabled differentiation for all isomers. Two basic fragmentation pathways were speculated for both SCs; for JWH-210, fragmentation pathway tendencies differed among the isomers, resulting in their distinguishability. Our results demonstrated that the difference between the methyl (JWH-122) and ethyl (JWH-210) group substituents contributed to fragmentation pathway tendency differences and further distinguishability between the regioisomers. Functional group differences, especially their stereochemistries, were indicated to be critical factors in positional isomer differentiation by GC-MS/MS.

High-resolution mass spectrometry and accurate mass measurement by liquid chromatography/quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (LC/Q-TOFMS) was applied to postmortem plasma and urine specimens from an autopsy of a fatal case involving synthetic cannabinoid use, resulting in the detection of three synthetic cannabinoids: MAM-2201, AM-1220, and AM-2232. We searched for their metabolites existing in postmortem plasma or urine by LC/Q-TOFMS and were able to detect N-dealkylated metabolites, defluorinated and further oxidized metabolites of MAM-2201, and some hydroxylated metabolites. Postmortem plasma concentrations of the parent drugs, N-dealkylated metabolites, and fluorinated and further oxidized metabolites of MAM-2201 were measured, and quantitation results revealed site differences between heart and femoral postmortem plasma concentrations of parent drugs and some metabolites, suggesting postmortem redistribution of the synthetic cannabinoids and their metabolites. Quantitation results suggest that defluorination is a major metabolic pathway for MAM-2201, and N-dealkylation is a common but minor pathway for the naphthoylindole-type synthetic cannabinoids in human.

1-Phenyl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)octan-1-one (PV9) and 16 metabolites, including diastereomers and conjugates, were identified or tentatively detected in human urine by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry. These urinary metabolites indicated that the metabolic pathways of PV9 include: (1) the reduction of ketone groups to their corresponding alcohols; (2) oxidation of the pyrrolidine ring to the corresponding pyrrolidone; (3) aliphatic oxidation of the terminal carbon atom to the corresponding carboxylate form, possibly through an alcohol intermediate (not detected); and (4) hydroxylation at the penultimate carbon atom to the corresponding alcohols followed by further oxidation to ketones, and combinations of these steps. In addition, results from the quantitative analyses of five phase-I metabolites using newly synthesized authentic standards suggested that the main metabolic pathway includes the aliphatic oxidation of terminal and/or penultimate carbons. Human metabolism of PV9 differed significantly from those of α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone and α-pyrrolidinobutiophenone, suggesting that the main metabolic pathways of α-pyrrolidinophenones significantly change depending on the alkyl chain length of the parent molecule.

Estimation of postmortem interval (PMI) is an important goal in judicial autopsy. Although many approaches can estimate PMI through physical findings and biochemical tests, accurate PMI calculation by these conventional methods remains difficult because PMI is readily affected by surrounding conditions, such as ambient temperature and humidity. In this study, Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (10 weeks) were sacrificed by suffocation, and blood was collected by dissection at various time intervals (0, 3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h; n = 6) after death. A total of 70 endogenous metabolites were detected in plasma by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). Each time group was separated from each other on the principal component analysis (PCA) score plot, suggesting that the various endogenous metabolites changed with time after death. To prepare a prediction model of a PMI, a partial least squares (or projection to latent structure, PLS) regression model was constructed using the levels of significantly different metabolites determined by variable importance in the projection (VIP) score and the Kruskal-Wallis test (P < 0.05). Because the constructed PLS regression model could successfully predict each PMI, this model was validated with another validation set (n = 3). In conclusion, plasma metabolic profiling demonstrated its ability to successfully estimate PMI under a certain condition. This result can be considered to be the first step for using the metabolomics method in future forensic casework.

Little information is available on the amounts of hypnotics incorporated into hair after a single administration and about effective analytical procedures to document cases like drug-facilitated sexual assaults. To obtain basic information, single-hair specimens from a volunteer who took a single dose of 10-mg zolpidem (ZP) were analyzed by a newly established liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry procedure, using a one-pot pulverization extraction method. The detection limit of ZP was 50 fg/2-cm single hair, and ZP in each segment was determined for the single black hair specimens (n = 15). ZP was detectable in 14 hairs (positive for all the proximal 0–2 cm segments, negative for all 2–4 cm segments), but was not detected in a single hair (probably in the telogen stage). The amounts of ZP detected in each positive 2-cm segment of single hair ranged from 27 to 63 pg (average 43 pg). The estimated total incorporation of ZP in the scalp hair (black hair ~110,000 strands) was about 4.7 μg, which corresponds to about 0.06 % of the single 10-mg dose (8.03 mg as free ZP). In addition, the direct detection of single-dose ZP incorporated in hair and its imaging were successfully achieved by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-mass spectrometry. It is suggested that a combination of these methodologies will provide the highest-level evidence to document such exposure to a hypnotic drug.

Amatoxins, including aand b-amanitins, are highly toxic cyclic octapeptide compounds belonging to the Amanita species; these toxins exert gastroenteric symptoms in the early stage, and lead to hepatic failure and renal damage by inhibiting RNA polymerase activity in hepatocytes [1–3]. The Amanita species are considered to be responsible for more than 90 % of the lethal cases of mushroom toxin poisoning [4, 5]. It is thus important to detect amatoxins with high sensitivity. Recently, liquid chromatography (LC)–mass spectrometry (MS) [6–13] and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) [14–18] or matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI–TOFMS) [19] have been increasingly applied to detect and identify these compounds from body fluids or mushroom specimens. In this Letter, we present a new method for detecting and identifying aand b-amanitin using a novel LC–quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer (Q-TOFMS) with high sensitivity and specificity. Amanitins were purchased from Sigma (St. Louis, MO, USA); other chemicals used were of the highest purity commercially available. Urine samples were collected from a healthy volunteer after obtaining informed consent. Analyses by Q-TOFMS were performed on an AB SCIEX Triple TOF 5600 system (AB SCIEX, Framingham, MA, USA) coupled to a Shimadzu Prominence XR LC system (Shimadzu, Kyoto, Japan). For LC separation, a Scherzo SM-C18 column (2 9 100 mm, particle size 3 lm, Imtakt, Kyoto, Japan) was used; the column temperature was kept at 40 C and the flow rate was 0.5 ml/ min. The gradient program was started at 90 % mobile phase A (5 mM ammonium formate in distilled water) and 10 % mobile phase B (methanol) for 1 min; it was changed linearly to 5 % A and 95 % B over 4 min and maintained with a 2-min hold. The MS conditions were as follows: ionization mode, electrospray ionization (ESI) positive mode; turbo gas temperature, 500 C; spray voltage, 5,000 V. In the MS mode, ions were scanned in the range from m/z 850 to 1,000; the declustering potential (DP) and collision energy (CE) were 80 V and 10 V, respectively. In the MS/MS mode, four conditions for production ion monitoring were settled as follows: precursor ions were 919.4 for a-amanitin and 920.4 for b-amanitin, and product ions were scanned in the range of m/z 200–1,000 (DP, 80 V; CE, 50 V); and precursor ions were 919.4 for a-amanitin and 920.4 for b-amanitin, and product ions were scanned in the range of m/z 900–1,600 (DP, 80 V; CE, 10 V). Measurements in MS and MS/MS modes were employed alternatively, for 100 ms in each condition; the total cycle time was 550 ms. Authentic amanitins were dissolved in methanol or added to purified urine samples to assess the sensitivity of the instrument and evaluate matrix effects. In the samples diluted in methanol, the concentrations of both amanitins were in the range of 0.001–5 ng/ll. In urine samples, 200 ll of urine was mixed with 100 ll of acetonitrile and centrifuged at 5,000 rpm for 10 min. The supernatant was mixed with 700 ll of distilled water and A. Ishii (&) M. Kusano K. Zaitsu Department of Legal Medicine and Bioethics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550, Japan e-mail: akishii@med.nagoya-u.ac.jp

The aim of this review is to present the chemical aspects, pharmacology, acute toxicities, and metabolisms of α-pyrrolidinophenone derivatives, a new group of synthetic cathinones. Compared to other synthetic cathinones, α-pyrrolidinophenone derivatives have high lipophilicity due to the pyrrolidine ring substitution at the nitrogen atom, resulting in higher blood–brain barrier permeability. To date, some acute intoxication and fatal cases involving α-pyrrolidinophenone derivatives have been reported, and the symptoms induced by their high dosages are due to central nervous system and cardiovascular toxicities. Based on the previous metabolism studies, reduction of the β-ketone moiety to the corresponding alcohol metabolites and oxidation to the 2′′-oxo metabolites are the main metabolic pathways observed among α-pyrrolidinophenone derivatives. In addition to such pathways, specific metabolic pathways like hydroxylation followed by oxidation of the 4′-methyl group, O-demethylation of the 4′-methoxyl group, and demethylenation followed by O-methylation of the 3′,4′-methylenedioxy group can be observed for the corresponding ring-substituted compounds.

Urinary metabolites of α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (α-PVP) in humans were investigated by analyzing urine specimens obtained from abusers. Unambiguous identification and accurate quantification of major metabolites were realized using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry with newly synthesized authentic standards. Two major metabolic pathways were revealed: (1) the reduction of the β-keto moiety to 1-phenyl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)pentan-1-ol (OH-α-PVP, diastereomers) partly followed by conjugation to its glucuronide, and (2) the oxidation at the 2″-position of the pyrrolidine ring to α-(2″-oxo-pyrrolidino)valerophenone (2″-oxo-α-PVP) via the putative intermediate α-(2″-hydroxypyrrolidino)valerophenone (2″-OH-α-PVP). Of the metabolites retaining the structural characteristics of the parent drug, OH-α-PVP was most abundant in most of the specimens examined.

A high-throughput method for analysis of ramelteon, agomelatine, and melatonin in human plasma by ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS–MS) is presented. The LC system, MS–MS system, and separation column used were Waters Acquity UPLC, Acquity TQD, and Poroshell 120 EC-C18, respectively. For extraction of the target compounds, solid-phase extraction was performed with Oasis HLB cartridges. All compounds were detected with retention times of

Mass spectrometric differentiation of the six isomers of mono-methoxyethylamphetamines (MeO-EAs) and mono-methoxydimethylamphetamines (MeO-DMAs) by gas chromatography–electron ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–EI–MS–MS) was investigated. Based on their EI-mass spectra, the fragment ions at m/z 121 and 72 were selected as precursor ions for their regioisomeric and structurally isomeric differentiation, respectively. Collision-induced dissociation provides intensity differences in product ions among the isomers, enabling mass spectrometric differentiation of the isomers. Furthermore, high reproducibility of the product ion spectra at the optimized collision energy was confirmed, demonstrating the reliability of the method. To our knowledge, this is the first report on mass spectrometric differentiation of the six isomers of MeO-EAs and MeO-DMAs by GC–EI–MS–MS. Isomeric differentiation by GC–EI–MS–MS has a high potential to discriminate isomers of newly encountered designer drugs, making GC–MS–MS a powerful tool in the forensic toxicology field.

Cathinone-derived designer drugs have recently grown to be popular as drugs of abuse. 3,4-Dimethylmethcathinone (DMMC) has recently been abused as one of the alternatives to controlled cathinones. In the present study, DMMC and its major metabolites, 3,4-dimethylcathinone (DMC), 1-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)-2-methylaminopropan-1-ol (β-OH-DMMC, diastereomers), and 2-amino-1-(3,4-dimethylphenyl)propan-1-ol (β-OH-DMC, diastereomers), have been identified and quantified in a DMMC user’s urine by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry using newly synthesized authentic standards. Other putative metabolites including oxidative metabolites of the xylyl group and conjugated metabolites have also been detected in urine. The identified and putative phase I metabolites indicated that the metabolic pathways of DMMC include its reduction of the ketone group to the corresponding alcohols, N-demethylation to the primary amine, oxidation of the xylyl group to the corresponding alcohol and carboxylate forms, and combination of these steps. Concentrations of the identified metabolites were found to increase slightly after enzymatic hydrolysis, suggesting that these compounds are partially metabolized to the respective conjugates.

β-Keto derivatives of 3,4-methylenedioxyphenylalkylamines (bk-MDPAs), especially 2-methylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propan-1-one (methylone), 2-methylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)butan-1-one (bk-MBDB), and 2-ethylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propan-1-one (bk-MDEA), are abused as substitutes for 3,4-methylenedioxyphenylalkylamines in some countries, causing increased social problems. With the widespread abuse of bk-MDPAs, the analysis of bk-MDPAs and their metabolites in human specimens is quite important in forensic and clinical toxicology. In this review, the metabolisms of bk-MDPAs and simultaneous analytical methods for bk-MDPAs and their metabolites by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, and liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry are presented.

Six novel hallucinogens classed as (tetrahydrobenzodifuranyl) aminoalkanes or (benzodifuranyl)aminoalkanes, which are known by the common names of “FLY” and “DragonFLY,” respectively, were synthesized. These compounds were simultaneously analyzed by gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS), liquid chromatography (LC)-MS, and LC-MS-MS. GCMS analysis of their free bases was not satisfactory for both mass spectral and chromatographic measurements, and thus trifluoroacetyl (TFA) derivatization was employed. However, it was found that the usual TFA derivatization procedure using trifluoroacetic anhydride caused dehydrogenation of FLYs to the corresponding DragonFLYs. Therefore, TFA derivatization of FLYs was reinvestigated; the presence of triethylamine could almost inhibit such dehydrogenation. LC separation of the analytes was successfully achieved by using a phenyl-type semimicro column with methanol gradient elution, while 1-(8-bromo-2,3,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[1,2-b;4,5-b′]difuran-4-yl)-2-methylaminopropane (N-methyl-DOB-FLY) and 1-(8-bromo-2,3,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[1,2-b;4,5-b′]difuran-4-yl)-2-aminopropane (DOB-FLY) were not separated on an octadecylsilica (ODS)-type column. Specific product ion spectra for all compounds were also obtained using LC-MS-MS, which enabled sensitive and reliable identification.

A detailed procedure for simultaneous analysis of methamphetamine (MA), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and their metabolites including the conjugates in whole blood by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS-MS) has been established. The methods were well validated and applied to users’ blood specimens. The blood concentrations of MA users (n = 11) ranged from

Very recently, β-keto derivatives of 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamines (MDAs) have appeared on the illicit drug market. In the present study, we synthesized three isomers of β-keto derivatives of MDAs, 2-methylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)butan-1-one (bk-MBDB), 2-ethylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl) propan-1-one (bk-MDEA), and 2-dimethylamino-1-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)propan-1-one (bk-MDDMA), and measured their electron ionization mass spectra without and with trifluoroacetyl (TFA) derivatization using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Although the spectral profiles of the three isomers were very similar to each other in both the free and TFA-derivatized forms, there were characteristic peaks at m/z 44 and 140, for bk-MDEA without and with TFA derivatization, respectively; a peak at m/z 110 for bk-MBDB-TFA was also characteristic. These peaks are useful for discrimination of an isomer from others. All isomers could be well separated in both free and TFA-derivatized forms using a slightly polar fused-silica capillary GC column DB-5MS. The present data are likely to be very useful for actual identification and quantitation of β-keto analogues of MDAs by GC-MS, because abuse of these materials is expected to spread worldwide in the near future.