Step-By-Step Procedure to Identify Previously Unknown Compounds by LC-QTOF-MS Exemplified by an Intoxication With the Methaqualone Analog SL-164.

In September 2019, a 22-year-old man with a history of drug abuse presented to the hospital with altered mental status. Due to a suspected drug overdose, a blood sample taken on admission and a urine sample collected 30 h thereafter were submitted to our laboratory to test for illegal drugs, pharmaceutical substances, and designer drugs. During the routine toxicological analysis of the serum sample, morphine and phenobarbital were identified by liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS).

Frequency of new psychoactive substances in hair and urine samples of individuals subject to drug testing in driving license regranting-A toxicological perspective.

In recent years, numerous new psychoactive substances (NPS) have emerged on the illicit drug market. The assumed non-detectability of these drugs is often a key motivation for individuals subject to drug testing, such as those in driving license regranting programs. In these programs, NPS are not routinely tested for, and thus, subjects who have to prove abstinence from common drugs of abuse might switch to NPS to avoid positive drug tests.

Unexpected results found in larvae samples from two postmortem forensic cases.

Purpose: In forensics, entomological specimens can be used as additional/alternative matrices to detect xenobiotics when human specimens are limited in their application. Despite some advantages over implementing putrefied human remains, most medico-legal laboratories do not include entomotoxicological procedures as routine analytical methods. We thus applied two authentic cases to evaluate necrophagous larvae's potential as complementary matrices for toxicological analysis after extensive postmortem decomposition.

Return of the Quaaludes? Prolonged agitated delirium after intentional ingestion of the methaqualone analog SL-164 - a case report.

: A 22-year-old male with a known history of drug abuse presented to our department with prolonged agitated delirium, myocloni, tachycardia and subfebrile temperature after the deliberate ingestion of opium poppy tea ( L.) together with the methaqualone analog SL-164 (5-chloro-3-(4-chloro-2-methylphenyl)-2-methyl-4()-quinazolinone) which is sold online as a designer drug. : SL-164 and its hydroxy metabolites were detected in serum and urine via liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS).

Retrospective analysis of new psychoactive substances in blood samples of German drivers suspected of driving under the influence of drugs.

Driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) is a serious global problem and poses a public health risk. With new psychoactive substances (NPS) entering the illicit drug market several years ago, a significant number of highly potent and harmful drugs have become easily available and the use of these substances may impair a person's ability to drive a vehicle safely. Since NPS are not usually covered in routine toxicological analyses used in DUID investigations, only little is known about their prevalence.

Postmortem concentrations of the synthetic opioid U-47700 in 26 fatalities associated with the drug.

Most recently, the synthetic opioid U-47700 has emerged on the illicit drug market and is sold on the Internet as a "research chemical". Its structure is closely related to the synthetic opioid AH-7921. U-47700 is a μ-opioid receptor agonist with a potency of approximately 7.

Determination of hydroxy metabolites of cocaine in hair samples for proof of consumption.

Although hair is widely used to identify drug use, there is a risk of false positives due to environmental contamination. This especially applies to cocaine (COC). Several strategies such as detection of norcocaine (NCOC) or cocaethylene, metabolite concentration ratios or intricate washing procedures have been proposed to differentiate actual use from contamination.

Two fatalities associated with synthetic opioids: AH-7921 and MT-45.

In this study, two fatalities associated with the synthetic opioids AH-7921 and MT-45 are reported. Within the last few years, both compounds have emerged on the recreational drug market and are sold as "research chemicals" on the internet. In the first case, a 22-year-old woman was found dead in the bedroom of her apartment by two of her friends.

Unintentional lethal overdose with metildigoxin in a 36-week-old infant--post mortem tissue distribution of metildigoxin and its metabolites by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

A massive lethal overdose with beta-metildigoxin in a 36-week-old infant is presented. Determination of beta-metildigoxin and its metabolites digoxin, digoxigenin and digoxigenin-monodigitoxosid is achieved by a liquid chromatographic mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method. Measured concentrations for beta-metildigoxin and digoxin in peripheral blood were 40.

Ethyl glucuronide findings in hair samples from the mummies of the Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo.

The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo contain over 1800 preserved bodies: friars, priests and laypeople including men, women, and children. The bodies were accessible to family members who could visit the deceased and commemorate them through prayers. The "Sicily Mummy Project" analyzed hair samples from 38 mummies to determine the presence of ethyl glucuronide (EtG) using a routine procedure in our accredited laboratory of liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.