Determination of 3-MeO-PCP in human blood and urine in a fatal intoxication case, with a specific focus on metabolites identification
3-Methoxyphencyclidine (3-MeO-PCP) is a new psychoactive substance that belongs to the phencyclidines family, first identified in Europe in 2012. This drug presents a stronger binding to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors when compared to phencyclidine, which results in more potent effects, even...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Oxford University Press
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Forensic Sciences Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20961790.2021.1928821 |
| _version_ | 1827834646059024384 |
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| author | Nadia Arbouche Pascal Kintz Cecile Zagdoun Laurie Gheddar Jean-Sébastien Raul Alice Ameline |
| author_facet | Nadia Arbouche Pascal Kintz Cecile Zagdoun Laurie Gheddar Jean-Sébastien Raul Alice Ameline |
| author_sort | Nadia Arbouche |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 3-Methoxyphencyclidine (3-MeO-PCP) is a new psychoactive substance that belongs to the phencyclidines family, first identified in Europe in 2012. This drug presents a stronger binding to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors when compared to phencyclidine, which results in more potent effects, even at low concentrations. Very few articles have been published regarding 3-MeO-PCP in forensic toxicology. In this paper, the authors present a fatal 3-MeO-PCP intoxication case. In addition to the detection of the parent drug, metabolites were investigated in urine and, for the first time in the scientific literature, in blood. 3-MeO-PCP and its metabolites were quantitated by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry system (LC-MS/MS). Identification was confirmed by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). 3-MeO-PCP tested positive in femoral blood (3 525 ng/mL) and urine (7 384 ng/mL). The femoral blood concentration was higher than the fatal concentrations range already reported in the literature (from 50 to 3 200 ng/mL). 3-MeO-PCP metabolites, including O-demethyl-3-MeO-PCP, piperidine-OH-3-MeO-PCP, O-demethyl-piperidine-di-OH-3-MeO-PCP and piperidine-di-OH-3-MeO-PCP, were detected in blood. In addition, two new metabolites, O-demethyl-piperidine-OH-3-MeO-PCP and O-demethyl-cyclohexyl-OH, were identified in both blood and urine. Unfortunately, due to the lack of reference material on the market, it was not possible to measure the concentration of these metabolites. However, the ratios between the metabolites and the parent drug were useful to estimate their analytical response and prevalence. At this time, considering the low ratios (<1) between metabolites and parent drug, metabolites testing does not seem useful to increase the detection window of the drug. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T05:54:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bf67857d6b9f4aeb9ee98f4566e6b1f6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2096-1790 2471-1411 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T05:54:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | Oxford University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forensic Sciences Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-bf67857d6b9f4aeb9ee98f4566e6b1f62023-09-03T04:46:29ZengOxford University PressForensic Sciences Research2096-17902471-14112021-07-016320821410.1080/20961790.2021.19288211928821Determination of 3-MeO-PCP in human blood and urine in a fatal intoxication case, with a specific focus on metabolites identificationNadia Arbouche0Pascal Kintz1Cecile Zagdoun2Laurie Gheddar3Jean-Sébastien Raul4Alice Ameline5Institut de Médecine LégaleInstitut de Médecine LégaleUnité Médico-Judiciaire, Hôpital Emile MullerInstitut de Médecine LégaleInstitut de Médecine LégaleInstitut de Médecine Légale3-Methoxyphencyclidine (3-MeO-PCP) is a new psychoactive substance that belongs to the phencyclidines family, first identified in Europe in 2012. This drug presents a stronger binding to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors when compared to phencyclidine, which results in more potent effects, even at low concentrations. Very few articles have been published regarding 3-MeO-PCP in forensic toxicology. In this paper, the authors present a fatal 3-MeO-PCP intoxication case. In addition to the detection of the parent drug, metabolites were investigated in urine and, for the first time in the scientific literature, in blood. 3-MeO-PCP and its metabolites were quantitated by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry system (LC-MS/MS). Identification was confirmed by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). 3-MeO-PCP tested positive in femoral blood (3 525 ng/mL) and urine (7 384 ng/mL). The femoral blood concentration was higher than the fatal concentrations range already reported in the literature (from 50 to 3 200 ng/mL). 3-MeO-PCP metabolites, including O-demethyl-3-MeO-PCP, piperidine-OH-3-MeO-PCP, O-demethyl-piperidine-di-OH-3-MeO-PCP and piperidine-di-OH-3-MeO-PCP, were detected in blood. In addition, two new metabolites, O-demethyl-piperidine-OH-3-MeO-PCP and O-demethyl-cyclohexyl-OH, were identified in both blood and urine. Unfortunately, due to the lack of reference material on the market, it was not possible to measure the concentration of these metabolites. However, the ratios between the metabolites and the parent drug were useful to estimate their analytical response and prevalence. At this time, considering the low ratios (<1) between metabolites and parent drug, metabolites testing does not seem useful to increase the detection window of the drug.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20961790.2021.1928821forensic sciencesforensic toxicology3-meo-pcpmetabolitesfatal intoxicationbloodurine |
| spellingShingle | Nadia Arbouche Pascal Kintz Cecile Zagdoun Laurie Gheddar Jean-Sébastien Raul Alice Ameline Determination of 3-MeO-PCP in human blood and urine in a fatal intoxication case, with a specific focus on metabolites identification Forensic Sciences Research forensic sciences forensic toxicology 3-meo-pcp metabolites fatal intoxication blood urine |
| title | Determination of 3-MeO-PCP in human blood and urine in a fatal intoxication case, with a specific focus on metabolites identification |
| title_full | Determination of 3-MeO-PCP in human blood and urine in a fatal intoxication case, with a specific focus on metabolites identification |
| title_fullStr | Determination of 3-MeO-PCP in human blood and urine in a fatal intoxication case, with a specific focus on metabolites identification |
| title_full_unstemmed | Determination of 3-MeO-PCP in human blood and urine in a fatal intoxication case, with a specific focus on metabolites identification |
| title_short | Determination of 3-MeO-PCP in human blood and urine in a fatal intoxication case, with a specific focus on metabolites identification |
| title_sort | determination of 3 meo pcp in human blood and urine in a fatal intoxication case with a specific focus on metabolites identification |
| topic | forensic sciences forensic toxicology 3-meo-pcp metabolites fatal intoxication blood urine |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/20961790.2021.1928821 |
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