Advances in targeted liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry methods for endocannabinoid and N‐acylethanolamine quantification in biological matrices: A systematic review

Abstract

Liquid chromatography paired with tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS) is the gold standard in measurement of endocannabinoid concentrations in biomatrices. We conducted a systematic review of literature to identify advances in targeted LC‐MS/MS methods in the period 2017–2024. We found that LC‐MS/MS methods for endocannabinoid quantification are relatively consistent both across time and across biomatrices. Recent advances have primarily been in three areas: (1) sample preparation techniques, specific to the chosen biomatrix; (2) the range of biomatrices tested, recently favoring blood matrices; and (3) the breadth of endocannabinoid and endocannabinoid‐like analytes incorporated into assays. This review provides a summary of the recent literature and a guide for researchers looking to establish the best methods for quantifying endocannabinoids in a range of biomatrices.