11-nor-Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (THC-COOEt): unsuccessful search for a marker of combined cannabis and alcohol consumption.

11-Nor-Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol-9-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (THC-COOEt) can be presumed to be a mixed metabolite formed during combined consumption of cannabinoids and alcohol. In order to examine this hypothesis, THC-COOEt and its deuterated analogue D(3)-THC-COOEt were synthesized as reference substance and internal standard from the corresponding carboxylic acids and diazoethane and methods were developed for the sensitive detection of THC-COOEt in plasma and hair based on gas chromatography-electron impact mass spectrometry after silylation with N-methyl-N-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-trifluoroacetamide and gas chromatography-negative chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC-NCI-MS) as well as tandem mass spectrometry (GC-NCI-MS-MS) after derivatization with pentafluoropropionyl anhydride. The methods were applied for THC-COOEt determination to plasma samples from 22 drunk driving cases which contained both ethanol (0.30-2.16 mg/g) and THC-COOH (15-252 ng/mL) as well as to 12 hair samples from drug fatalities which were both positive for THC (0.09-2.04 ng/mg) and fatty acid ethyl esters as markers of chronic alcohol abuse (0.70-6.3 ng/mg). In none of these samples THC-COOEt could be found with limits of detection of 0.3 ng/mL in plasma and 2 pg/mg in hair in 11 samples using GC-NCI-MS and 0.2 pg/mg in one sample using GC-NCI-MS. Therefore, the use of this compound as a marker for combined cannabis and alcohol consumption could not be achieved.

Designer drugs 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromo-amphetamine (DOB) and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromo-methamphetamine (MDOB): studies on their metabolism and toxicological detection in rat urine using gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric techniques.

Studies are described on the metabolism and the toxicological analysis of the amphetamine-derived designer drug 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromo-amphetamine (DOB) and its corresponding N-methyl analogue 2,5-dimethoxy-4-bromo-methamphetamine (MDOB) in rat urine using gas chromatographic/mass spectrometric techniques. The identified metabolites indicated that DOB was metabolized by O-demethylation followed by oxidative deamination to the corresponding ketone as well as deamination followed by reduction to the corresponding alcohol. Other metabolic pathways were O,O-bisdemethylation or hydroxylation of the side chain followed by O-demethylation and deamination to the corresponding alcohol. The expected oxo compound after deamination could not be detected. All metabolites carrying hydroxy groups were found to be partly excreted in the conjugated form. MDOB underwent O-demethylation, O,O-bisdemethylation, or hydroxylation of the side chain followed by O-demethylation. Additional N-demethylation to DOB occurred, including the above-mentioned metabolites. Again, all metabolites carrying hydroxy groups were found to be partly excreted in the conjugated form. The authors' systematic toxicological analysis (STA) procedure using full-scan GC/MS after acid hydrolysis, liquid-liquid extraction, and microwave-assisted acetylation allowed the detection of an intake of a dose of DOB and MDOB in rat urine that corresponds to a common drug user's dose. Assuming a similar metabolism, the described STA procedure in human urine should be suitable as proof of an intake of DOB and MDOB.