Intriguing Cytotoxicity of the Street Dissociative Anesthetic Methoxphenidine: Unexpected Impurities Spotted.

The black market for new psychoactive substances has been constantly evolving and the substances that appear on this market cause a considerable number of issues, in extreme cases leading to human deaths. While monitoring the drug black market, we detected a sample of a dissociative anesthetic methoxphenidine, the salt of which contained an unusual anion in the form of bromo- and chloro-zincate complex. Concerning the unknown and potentially hazardous properties of this sample, we performed an in vitro cytotoxicity screening in cell lines of various origins (e.

2C-B-Fly-NBOMe Metabolites in Rat Urine, Human Liver Microsomes and : Confirmation with Synthesized Analytical Standards.

Compounds from the -benzylphenethylamine (NBPEA) class of novel psychoactive substances are being increasingly utilized in neurobiological and clinical research, as diagnostic tools, or for recreational purposes. To understand the pharmacology, safety, or potential toxicity of these substances, elucidating their metabolic fate is therefore of the utmost interest. Several studies on NBPEA metabolism have emerged, but scarce information about substances with a tetrahydrobenzodifuran ("Fly") moiety is available.

Pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and behavioural studies of deschloroketamine in Wistar rats.

Background And Purpose: Deschloroketamine (DCK), a structural analogue of ketamine, has recently emerged on the illicit drug market as a recreational drug with a modestly long duration of action. Despite it being widely used by recreational users, no systematic research on its effects has been performed to date.

Experimental Approach: Pharmacokinetics, acute effects, and addictive potential in a series of behavioural tests in Wistar rats were performed following subcutaneous (s.

Gradient supercritical fluid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry with a gradient flow of make-up solvent for enantioseparation of cathinones.

In the past two decades, supercritical fluid chromatography has evolved from a niche application to a comprehensive technology and a fully-fledged alternative to conventional high-performance liquid chromatography. In this study, we have focused on chiral separation of synthetic cathinones in gradient supercritical fluid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry using an inverse gradient of a make-up solvent. Synthetic cathinones possess an amphetamine-like effect and, therefore, are frequently being offered on the Internet as a replacement for illicit drugs.

New psychoactive substances on dark web markets: From deal solicitation to forensic analysis of purchased substances.

The dark web scene has been drawing the attention of law enforcement agencies and researchers alike. To date, most of the published works on the dark web are based on data gained by passive observation. To gain a more contextualized perspective, a study was conducted in which three vendors were selected on the "Dream Market" dark web marketplace, from whom subsequently several new psychoactive substances (NPS) were ordered.

Can X-Ray Powder Diffraction Be a Suitable Forensic Method for Illicit Drug Identification?

New psychoactive substances (NPSs) are associated with a significant number of intoxications. With the number of readily available forms of these drugs rising every year, there are even risks for the general public. Consequently, there is a high demand for methods sufficiently sensitive to detect NPSs in samples found at the crime scene.

Synthesis and identification of deschloroketamine metabolites in rats' urine and a quantification method for deschloroketamine and metabolites in rats' serum and brain tissue using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

Deschloroketamine (2-(methylamino)-2-phenyl-cyclohexanone) is a ketamine analog belonging to a group of dissociative anesthetics, which have been distributed within the illicit market since 2015. However, it was also being sold as 'ketamine' misleading people to believe that they were getting genuine ketamine. Dissociative anesthetics have also come to the attention of the psychiatric field due to their potential properties in the treatment of depression.

X-Ray powder diffraction - A non-destructive and versatile approach for the identification of new psychoactive substances.

A considerable number of fatal intoxications have recently been connected with the growing popularity of new psychoactive substances (NPS). Therefore, there is a significant demand for the development of fast and facile field detection methods for NPS. These substances are often sold as blends (with inorganic or organic cutting agents), which may further complicate detection.

Structure determination of butylone as a new psychoactive substance using chiroptical and vibrational spectroscopies.

Recently, there has been a worldwide substantial increase in the consumption of new psychoactive substances (NPS), compounds that mimic the structure of illicit drugs, such as amphetamines or ecstasy. The producers try to avoid the law by a slight modification of illicit structures, thereby developing dozens of temporarily legal NPS every year. The current trends in the detection and monitoring of such substances demand a fast and reliable analysis.

Azidoperfluoroalkanes: Synthesis and Application in Copper(I)-Catalyzed Azide-Alkyne Cycloaddition.

We report an efficient and scalable synthesis of azidotrifluoromethane (CF N ) and longer perfluorocarbon-chain analogues (R N ; R =C F , C F , C F ), which enables the direct insertion of CF and perfluoroalkyl groups into triazole ring systems. The azidoperfluoroalkanes show good reactivity with terminal alkynes in copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC), giving access to rare and stable N-perfluoroalkyl triazoles. Azidoperfluoroalkanes are thermally stable and the efficiency of their preparation should be attractive for discovery programs.

Detailed pharmacological evaluation of methoxetamine (MXE), a novel psychoactive ketamine analogue-Behavioural, pharmacokinetic and metabolic studies in the Wistar rat.

Methoxetamine (MXE) is a novel psychoactive compound (NPS) that emerged in 2010 as a substitute for the dissociative anaesthetic ketamine. MXE has a reputation of carrying a lower risk of harm than ketamine, however a number of deaths have been reported. Currently very little is known about the psychopharmacological effects of this compound or its toxicity; therefore we tested, in Wistar rats, the effects of MXE in a series of behavioural tasks, measured its pharmacokinetics and urinary metabolites.

Salting-out-assisted liquid-liquid extraction as a suitable approach for determination of methoxetamine in large sets of tissue samples.

A new designer drug, a dissociative anesthetic, and a putative N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, methoxetamine (MXE) noted by the EU Early Warning System has been already identified as a cause of several fatalities worldwide. The primary objective of this work was to develop a suitable sample preparation method allowing for isolation of MXE and its main metabolites in high yields from rat brain, liver, and lungs. For the purpose of the project, MXE and five metabolites were synthesized in-house, specifically O-desmethyl-normethoxetamine, O-desmethylmethoxetamine, dihydro-O-desmethylmethoxetamine, normethoxetamine, and dihydromethoxetamine.