Effect of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in ADH1B, ADH4, ADH1C, OPRM1, DRD2, BDNF, and ALDH2 genes on alcohol dependence in a Caucasian population.

Alcohol is a frequently used addictive substance worldwide. Aim of this study is to determine the frequency distribution of SNPs within ADH1B, ADH4, ADH1C, ALDH2, BDNF, OPRM1, and DRD2 genes in a southeastern European Caucasian population from Greece. For this purpose samples of 1276 volunteers were analyzed after deidentification and anonymization.

Chromatography-mass spectrometry studies on the metabolism of synthetic cannabinoids JWH-018 and JWH-073, psychoactive components of smoking mixtures.

The Russian Federation prohibited the distribution of herbal mixtures with synthetic aminoalkylindoles JWH-018 and JWH-073, agonist cannabinoid receptors, on January 22, 2010. The lack or low content of their native compounds in urine requires detailed identification of their metabolites, which are excreted with urine and are present in blood. Using gas and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we identified a series of metabolites in urine samples from humans and rats that were products of the following reactions: (a) mono- and dihydroxylation of the parent compounds with hydroxyl groups located at aromatic and aliphatic residues, (b) carboxylation, (c) N-dealkylation and (d) N-dealkylation and hydroxylation.