Pyrrolidinyl Synthetic Cathinones α-PHP and 4F-α-PVP Metabolite Profiling Using Human Hepatocyte Incubations
For more than ten years, new synthetic cathinones (SCs) mimicking the effects of controlled cocaine-like stimulants have flooded the illegal drug market, causing numerous intoxications and fatalities. There are often no data on the pharmacokinetics of these substances when they first emerge onto the...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2020-12-01
|
Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/1/230 |
_version_ | 1797543317986082816 |
---|---|
author | Jeremy Carlier Xingxing Diao Raffaele Giorgetti Francesco P. Busardò Marilyn A. Huestis |
author_facet | Jeremy Carlier Xingxing Diao Raffaele Giorgetti Francesco P. Busardò Marilyn A. Huestis |
author_sort | Jeremy Carlier |
collection | DOAJ |
description | For more than ten years, new synthetic cathinones (SCs) mimicking the effects of controlled cocaine-like stimulants have flooded the illegal drug market, causing numerous intoxications and fatalities. There are often no data on the pharmacokinetics of these substances when they first emerge onto the market. However, the detection of SC metabolites is often critical in order to prove consumption in clinical and forensic settings. In this research, the metabolite profile of two pyrrolidinyl SCs, α-pyrrolidinohexaphenone (α-PHP) and 4′′-fluoro-α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (4F-α-PVP), were characterized to identify optimal intake markers. Experiments were conducted using pooled human hepatocyte incubations followed by liquid chromatography–high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry and data-mining software. We suggest α-PHP dihydroxy-pyrrolidinyl, α-PHP hexanol, α-PHP 2′-keto-pyrrolidinyl-hexanol, and α-PHP 2′-keto-pyrrolidinyl as markers of α-PHP use, and 4F-α-PVP dihydroxy-pyrrolidinyl, 4F-α-PVP hexanol, 4F-α-PVP 2′-keto-pyrrolidinyl-hexanol, and 4F-α-PVP 2′-keto-pyrrolidinyl as markers of 4F-α-PVP use. These results represent the first data available on 4F-α-PVP metabolism. The metabolic fate of α-PHP was previously studied using human liver microsomes and urine samples from α-PHP users. We identified an additional major metabolite (α-PHP dihydroxy-pyrrolidinyl) that might be crucial for documenting exposure to α-PHP. Further experiments with suitable analytical standards, which are yet to be synthesized, and authentic specimens should be conducted to confirm these results. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:42:54Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-b0e73b3a9f9e48c590940e0fb015d426 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1661-6596 1422-0067 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T13:42:54Z |
publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
spelling | doaj.art-b0e73b3a9f9e48c590940e0fb015d4262023-11-21T02:52:08ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672020-12-0122123010.3390/ijms22010230Pyrrolidinyl Synthetic Cathinones α-PHP and 4F-α-PVP Metabolite Profiling Using Human Hepatocyte IncubationsJeremy Carlier0Xingxing Diao1Raffaele Giorgetti2Francesco P. Busardò3Marilyn A. Huestis4Chemistry & Drug Metabolism Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USAChemistry & Drug Metabolism Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USADepartment of Excellence of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, 60126 Ancona, ItalyDepartment of Excellence of Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Unit of Forensic Toxicology, Section of Legal Medicine, Marche Polytechnic University, 60126 Ancona, ItalyChemistry & Drug Metabolism Section, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USAFor more than ten years, new synthetic cathinones (SCs) mimicking the effects of controlled cocaine-like stimulants have flooded the illegal drug market, causing numerous intoxications and fatalities. There are often no data on the pharmacokinetics of these substances when they first emerge onto the market. However, the detection of SC metabolites is often critical in order to prove consumption in clinical and forensic settings. In this research, the metabolite profile of two pyrrolidinyl SCs, α-pyrrolidinohexaphenone (α-PHP) and 4′′-fluoro-α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone (4F-α-PVP), were characterized to identify optimal intake markers. Experiments were conducted using pooled human hepatocyte incubations followed by liquid chromatography–high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry and data-mining software. We suggest α-PHP dihydroxy-pyrrolidinyl, α-PHP hexanol, α-PHP 2′-keto-pyrrolidinyl-hexanol, and α-PHP 2′-keto-pyrrolidinyl as markers of α-PHP use, and 4F-α-PVP dihydroxy-pyrrolidinyl, 4F-α-PVP hexanol, 4F-α-PVP 2′-keto-pyrrolidinyl-hexanol, and 4F-α-PVP 2′-keto-pyrrolidinyl as markers of 4F-α-PVP use. These results represent the first data available on 4F-α-PVP metabolism. The metabolic fate of α-PHP was previously studied using human liver microsomes and urine samples from α-PHP users. We identified an additional major metabolite (α-PHP dihydroxy-pyrrolidinyl) that might be crucial for documenting exposure to α-PHP. Further experiments with suitable analytical standards, which are yet to be synthesized, and authentic specimens should be conducted to confirm these results.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/1/230α-PHPPV74F-α-PVPnovel psychoactive substancesynthetic cathinonebath salt |
spellingShingle | Jeremy Carlier Xingxing Diao Raffaele Giorgetti Francesco P. Busardò Marilyn A. Huestis Pyrrolidinyl Synthetic Cathinones α-PHP and 4F-α-PVP Metabolite Profiling Using Human Hepatocyte Incubations International Journal of Molecular Sciences α-PHP PV7 4F-α-PVP novel psychoactive substance synthetic cathinone bath salt |
title | Pyrrolidinyl Synthetic Cathinones α-PHP and 4F-α-PVP Metabolite Profiling Using Human Hepatocyte Incubations |
title_full | Pyrrolidinyl Synthetic Cathinones α-PHP and 4F-α-PVP Metabolite Profiling Using Human Hepatocyte Incubations |
title_fullStr | Pyrrolidinyl Synthetic Cathinones α-PHP and 4F-α-PVP Metabolite Profiling Using Human Hepatocyte Incubations |
title_full_unstemmed | Pyrrolidinyl Synthetic Cathinones α-PHP and 4F-α-PVP Metabolite Profiling Using Human Hepatocyte Incubations |
title_short | Pyrrolidinyl Synthetic Cathinones α-PHP and 4F-α-PVP Metabolite Profiling Using Human Hepatocyte Incubations |
title_sort | pyrrolidinyl synthetic cathinones α php and 4f α pvp metabolite profiling using human hepatocyte incubations |
topic | α-PHP PV7 4F-α-PVP novel psychoactive substance synthetic cathinone bath salt |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/1/230 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT jeremycarlier pyrrolidinylsyntheticcathinonesaphpand4fapvpmetaboliteprofilingusinghumanhepatocyteincubations AT xingxingdiao pyrrolidinylsyntheticcathinonesaphpand4fapvpmetaboliteprofilingusinghumanhepatocyteincubations AT raffaelegiorgetti pyrrolidinylsyntheticcathinonesaphpand4fapvpmetaboliteprofilingusinghumanhepatocyteincubations AT francescopbusardo pyrrolidinylsyntheticcathinonesaphpand4fapvpmetaboliteprofilingusinghumanhepatocyteincubations AT marilynahuestis pyrrolidinylsyntheticcathinonesaphpand4fapvpmetaboliteprofilingusinghumanhepatocyteincubations |