United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: Recommended methods for the Identification and Analysis of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists in Seized Materials

Tettey, J.N.A.; Crean, Conor; Rodrigues, João Francisco Silva; Yap, Tiong Whei Angeline; Lim, Jong Lee Wendy; Lee, Hui Zhi Shirley; Ching, Mei

doi:10.1016/j.fsisyn.2020.11.003

Cited by 20 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Moreover, the lipophilic profile and different metabolism of two substances could also explain the different entities of effects [ 134 , 135 ]. The difference between the effects induced in animals’ in vivo experiment and data reported in clinical cases could be due to different factors, such as the route of administration, pharmacogenetic sensitivity, or dosage [ 35 , 48 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Old and the New: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Alterations Induced by Acute JWH-018 Administration Compared to Δ9-THC—A Preclinical Study in Mice

Marchetti

Bilel

Tirri

et al. 2023

IJMS

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Several new psychoactive substances (NPS) are responsible for intoxication involving the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Among NPS, synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) provoked side effects in humans characterized by tachycardia, arrhythmias, hypertension, breathing difficulty, apnoea, myocardial infarction, and cardiac arrest. Therefore, the present study investigated the cardio-respiratory (MouseOx Plus; EMKA electrocardiogram (ECG) and plethysmography TUNNEL systems) and vascular (BP-2000 systems) effects induced by 1-naphthalenyl (1-pentyl-1H-indol-3-yl)-methanone (JWH-018; 0.3–3–6 mg/kg) and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC; 0.3–3–6 mg/kg), administered in awake CD-1 male mice. The results showed that higher doses of JWH-018 (3–6 mg/kg) induced deep and long-lasting bradycardia, alternated with bradyarrhythmia, spaced out by sudden episodes of tachyarrhythmias (6 mg/kg), and characterized by ECG electrical parameters changes, sustained bradypnea, and systolic and transient diastolic hypertension. Otherwise, Δ9-THC provoked delayed bradycardia (minor intensity tachyarrhythmias episodes) and bradypnea, also causing a transient and mild hypertensive effect at the tested dose range. These effects were prevented by both treatment with selective CB1 (AM 251, 6 mg/kg) and CB2 (AM 630, 6 mg/kg) receptor antagonists and with the mixture of the antagonists AM 251 and AM 630, even if in a different manner. Cardio-respiratory and vascular symptoms could be induced by peripheral and central CB1 and CB2 receptors stimulation, which could lead to both sympathetic and parasympathetic systems activation. These findings may represent a starting point for necessary future studies aimed at exploring the proper antidotal therapy to be used in SCs-intoxicated patient management.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Old and the New: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Alterations Induced by Acute JWH-018 Administration Compared to Δ9-THC—A Preclinical Study in Mice

Marchetti

Bilel

Tirri

et al. 2023

IJMS

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“…Borille et al found 123 cannabinoid compounds or metabolites and eight noncannabinoid constituents in the extracts of cannabis plants by ESI-MS, with carbon number ranging from C 15 to C 55 . All molecular formulas of the THC oxidation products in Scheme b were also identified in cannabis extracts, − suggesting that oxidation from plant metabolism or during extraction could have occurred in addition to vaping. C 19 H 28 O 3 is identified here as cannabiglendol-C 3 ; , C 23 H 34 O 4 may have multiple isomers (e.g., cannabigerolic acid monomethyl ether or 10-ethoxy-9-hydroxytetrahydrocannabinol); , and C 15 H 16 O 3 /C 15 H 18 O 3 is identified as cannabispirenone/ cannabispiran. , Some compounds in Table still remain unidentified (e.g., C 26 H 40 O 3 ).…”

Section: Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vaping Aerosols from Vitamin E Acetate and Tetrahydrocannabinol Oil: Chemistry and Composition

Dai

Tran

et al. 2022

Chem. Res. Toxicol.

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The popularity of vaping cannabis products has increased sharply in recent years. In 2019, a sudden onset of electronic cigarette/vaping-associated lung injury (EVALI) was reported, leading to thousands of cases of lung illness and dozens of deaths due to the vaping of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)-containing e-liquids that were obtained on the black market. A potential cause of EVALI has been hypothesized due to the illicit use of vitamin E acetate (VEA) in cannabis vape cartridges. However, the chemistry that modifies VEA and THC oil, to potentially produce toxic byproducts, is not well understood under different scenarios of use. In this work, we quantified carbonyls, organic acids, cannabinoids, and terpenes in the vaping aerosol of pure VEA, purified THC oil, and an equal volume mixture of VEA and THC oil at various coil temperatures (100−300 °C). It was found under the conditions of our study that degradation of VEA and cannabinoids, including Δ 9 -THC and cannabigerol (CBG), occurred via radical oxidation and direct thermal decomposition pathways. Evidence of terpene degradation was also observed. The bond cleavage of aliphatic side chains in both VEA and cannabinoids formed a variety of smaller carbonyls. Oxidation at the ring positions of cannabinoids formed various functionalized products. We show that THC oil has a stronger tendency to aerosolize and degrade compared to VEA at a given temperature. The addition of VEA to the e-liquid nonlinearly suppressed the formation of vape aerosol compared to THC oil. At the same time, toxic carbonyls including formaldehyde, 4-methylpentanal, glyoxal, or diacetyl and its isomers were highly enhanced in VEA e-liquid when normalized to particle mass.

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“…Due to the size and dynamic nature of NPS, it is recommended that confirmatory laboratory analysis is carried out and library databases are updated regularly to ensure identification of emerging drugs and drug threats (Norman et al, 2021). IMS is recommended for the analysis of synthetic cannabinoids due to its simplicity for sampling herbal mixtures and rapid detection in the field (Tettey et al, 2021).…”

Section: Other Techniquesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Portable testing techniques for the analysis of drug materials

Alonzo

Alder

Clancy

et al. 2022

WIREs Forensic Science

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The analysis of drug material in the field is an important function of law enforcement agencies, forensic drug laboratories, and drug checking services. Portable testing techniques employed by these different groups range from inexpensive screening tools with low discriminating power, such as presumptive chemical color tests, to more sophisticated portable analytical techniques that behave as miniaturized versions of their laboratory counterparts, such as gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Rapid non‐destructive analysis in the field and non‐laboratory environments is afforded by portable and handheld Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers with little to no sample preparation, while handheld Raman analyzers have the added potential for drug material identification through sealed packaging using spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS). Utilization of the most suitable testing technique for the given environment is demonstrated at international borders and airports wherein ion mobility spectroscopy (IMS) is frequently employed for the detection of drug (and explosive) residues owing to its ease of operation and rapid analysis. Advances in technology and materials have provided analysts with new portable testing techniques, including paper spray ionization–MS (PSI‐MS), an ambient MS technique that provides sensitive, rapid, and reliable analysis without the need for sample preparation steps. A growing area of research and interest in the development of sensitive and selective optical and electrochemical portable (bio)sensors for in‐field analysis of drug material indicates that new commercial sensors for drug detection will be available in the foreseeable future. This article is categorized under: Forensic Chemistry and Trace Evidence > Controlled and Emerging Drug Compounds Forensic Chemistry and Trace Evidence > Emerging Technologies and Methods Toxicology > Drug Analysis

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United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: Recommended methods for the Identification and Analysis of Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists in Seized Materials

Cited by 20 publications

References 45 publications

The Old and the New: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Alterations Induced by Acute JWH-018 Administration Compared to Δ9-THC—A Preclinical Study in Mice

The Old and the New: Cardiovascular and Respiratory Alterations Induced by Acute JWH-018 Administration Compared to Δ9-THC—A Preclinical Study in Mice

Vaping Aerosols from Vitamin E Acetate and Tetrahydrocannabinol Oil: Chemistry and Composition

Portable testing techniques for the analysis of drug materials

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