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In recent years, a class of new designer drugs commonly referred to as ‘bath salts’ have made their way to the illicit drug market. The most common drugs encountered are designer amphetamines and cathinones. Many analytical methods for analysis and identification of bath salts have been published, but there has been little reported on their impact on existing gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) amine confirmation methods. Due to structural similarities, the potential exists that designer amphetamines may interfere with methods used for analysis of sympathomimetic amines. Methiopropamine, 4-fluoroamphetamine, 4-fluoromethamphetamine (4-FMA) and 4-methylamphetamine were examined for potential interference with immunoassays and GC–MS confirmation analysis utilizing three derivatization procedures: R(-)-α-methoxy-α-trifluoromethylphenylacetyl chloride (R-MTPAC), heptafluorobutyric anhydride (HFBA) and chlorodifluoroacetic anhydride (ClF2AA). Significant cross-reactivity was observed with all the four compounds on the Syva Emit® II Plus Amphetamines and Roche KIMS Amphetamines II immunoassays. Laboratories utilizing GC–MS selected-ion-monitoring confirmation methods with R-MTPAC, HFBA or ClF2AA derivatives could experience potential chromatographic and mass spectral interferences from 4-fluroamphetamine, 4-FMA and methiopropamine in the form of ion ratio and quantitative failures. Careful ion selection, proper selectivity and specificity studies during method validation and rigid chromatographic and spectral acceptance criteria are required to assure the robustness and accuracy of GC–MS methods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article presents a case study that evaluates the two cases of fatal overdoses of calcium channel blocker amlodipine. Postmortem samples were obtained and amlodipine was measured through liquid chromatography-atmospheric pressure photoionization-mass spectrometry. Results revealed that the heart blood concentrations for the two cases were 2.4 and 0.95 milligram per liter and such drug has been quantified in all other tissues.

Abstract: Detection of a drug and its glucuronide metabolite(s) is of great importance in interpretive forensic and clinical toxicology. Until recently, glucuronides were determined by cleavage of the glucuronide with an enzyme (e.g., β-glucuronidase) to yield the parent compound, which was subsequently detected, or via derivatization to a more volatile or detectable analogue. Direct detection of the glucuronide conjugates overcomes the critical limitations of approaches that involve enzymatic cleavage procedures and/or derivatization. This review will focus on direct methods to determine glucuronides of various potentially abused drugs in human biological matrices. More specifically, this review will be restricted to methods that involve liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with various detectors. Papers are presented in chronological order for each compound class to emphasize the evolution of methodology and continued importance of the application. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article provides information on the case of a 47-year-old man whose death was caused by an abuse on sevoflurane. The presence of sevoflurane was confirmed using a headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The concentration of the heart blood sevoflurane was 16 mg/L, and the concentration of the peripheral blood sevoflurane was 8.0 mg/L. When the heart blood was examined, no other drugs or other volatile substances were confirmed. Moreover, cardiac arrhythmia due to sevoflurane toxicity was the cause of his death as ruled out by the examiner.

The article presents a case study wherein the combination of 4-methymethcathinone (mephedrone) and heroin caused the accidental death of a 22-year-old male. The autopsy revealed needle marks in the lower legs and ankles of the decedent and detected morphine in the blood and urine samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The medical examiner determined the death was caused by accidental multiple-drug toxicity.

The article presents a study on the distribution of phencyclidine (PCP) into vitreous humor. It mentions that heart blood, subclavian blood and vitreous humor specimens from 26 PCP-positive postmortem cases were analyzed to evaluate the distribution of PCP in vitreous humor. It mentions that the specimens were analyzed by solid-phase extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. It declares that the results reveals that all positive blood specimens were associated with positive vitreous humor specimen, and on average, the blood PCP concentrations were greater than the vitreous humor PCP concentrations. It concludes that there were considerable variability between cases, which shows that the detection of PCP in postmortem cases' interpretative value is limited.

The article focuses on the distribution of ether in two postmortem cases. Headspace gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the selective ion monitoring mode was used to determine ether concentrations in the two cases. In the first case, the medical examiner ruled that the cause of death was asphyxia due to hanging. In case 2, the cause of death was asphyxia and the manner of death was suicide.

Reports on a case in which xylazine was identified in a suicide by hanging. Confirmation of the presence of xylazine by full scan electron ionization gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; Pharmacological analysis of the suicide case; Number of published cases of xylazine's involvement in human drug-related deaths and impairment.