Chiral pharmacokinetics of tetramisole stereoisomers-Enantioselective quantification of levamisole and dexamisole in serum samples from users of adulterated cocaine.

Phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole (PTHIT, tetramisole) is the most frequently used adulterant of cocaine and exists in the two enantiomeric forms levamsiole (S) and dexamisole (R). Existing studies show diverse fractions of samples containing enantiopure levamsiole, levamisole-enriched mixtures, and racemic tetramisole as adulterant. However, blood samples have never been enantioselectively tested for PTHIT. Because enantiomers are usually metabolized stereoselectively, chiral analysis of blood samples can help estimate the time of drug use, provided that a racemic substance is ingested. Therefore, an enantioselective liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed using a chiral column. Validation of the method was carried out for methanolic substance samples as well as serum samples and showed satisfactory selectivity, sensitivity, linearity (0.05-100 ng/mL), precision, and accuracy; 151 cocaine samples seized in Germany between 2018 and 2021 were analyzed. Most (94%, n = 48) of the 51 PTHIT-positive samples contained racemic tetramsiole, whereas there were two samples containing levamisole-enriched mixtures and one sample containing nearly enantiopure levamisole. Furthermore, 157 cocaine and/or benzoylecgonine-positive forensic serum samples were tested with cocaine-positive samples showing the highest frequency of PTHIT detection (43%). All positive samples contained either dexamisole alone or (R)/(S)-concentration ratios >1 (1.05-70.6). Finally, a self-administration study was conducted with three subjects taking 10 mg of racemic tetramisole each. Although peak concentrations and corresponding times did not differ significantly between the enantiomers, dexamisole showed significantly longer apparent elimination half-lives (7.02-10.0 h) than levamisole (2.87-4.77 h). The resulting steadily increasing (R)/(S)-ratios can therefore be helpful in estimating the time of cocaine consumption.

Cutting agents in cocaine: A temporal study of the period 2015-2017 in the Northern Region of Colombia.

Cocaine is a naturally occurring psychostimulant drug available worldwide. Drug trafficking networks adulterate pure cocaine with cutting agents to increase their earnings. This study presents a descriptive statistical analysis of the cutting agents found in 2118 cocaine samples that were seized in the Northern Region of Colombia (in the period 2015-2017). The data used in this study was drawn from the GC-MS analytical reports of the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences -Colombia, Northern Region. Results showed diverse cutting agents in seized cocaine samples, from which the most commonly used are caffeine, phenacetin, lidocaine, imidazole and levamisole. In addition, cocaine samples showed different mixtures of the above cutting agents, predominantly caffeine/phenacetin and caffeine/lidocaine/phenacetin mixtures.

Toxicological analysis of cocaine adulterants in blood samples.

Cocaine was the second most widely used drug in Europe in 2016, with 3.5 million consumers aged 15-64 years old. Adulterants are pharmacologically active substances developed for medical purposes, however, there is little knowledge about their influence in the human body when there is concomitant use with cocaine. The objective of this work was to validate a method that allows the identification, confirmation and quantification of cocaine adulterants in blood samples collected in vivo or post-mortem. The studied substances were atropine, phenacetin, hydroxyzine, ketamine, lidocaine and tetramisole. A retrospective study of the prevalence of these substances, as well as their relative concentrations, was made analysing 97 real blood samples previously tested positive for cocaine and/or its metabolites. The analytes of interest were extracted, using a simple method based on protein precipitation with frozen acetonitrile and further analysis by GC/MS. The method was fully validated in accordance with parameters and criteria implemented in the lab and SWGTOX recommendations (mean recovery: 94-115%; CV: 6.2-13%; BIAS: 2.7-7.8%). 31 samples were positive for adulterants: phenacetin (19%), tetramisole (15%), lidocaine (8%) and hydroxyzine (1%). Concentrations were higher in post-mortem samples for all compounds analysed. Lidocaine was more prevalent in samples collected in vivo whereas tetramisole was present almost exclusively in post-mortem samples. Phenacetin was evenly distributed between post-mortem and in vivo samples. The validated method allows rapid, precise, accurate and economic analysis of selected compounds and requires smaller sample aliquots which can be important in post-mortem cases. The information collected can be important in future studies of correlation between the presence of adulterants and cocaine toxicity.

Cocaine adulteration with the anthelminthic tetramisole (levamisole/dexamisole): Long-term monitoring of its intake by chiral LC-MS/MS analysis of cocaine-positive hair samples.

Recent studies indicate that not only the anthelminthic levamisole but also the racemate tetramisole (R-/S-phenyltetraimidazothiazole, PTHIT) was found as an adulterant for cocaine. We herein report on the investigation of the prevalence of PTHIT among cocaine-positive hair samples and the discrimination of the presence of its stereoisomers levamisole and dexamisole. Cocaine-positive hair samples were collected in a forensic context in 2015 and mainly 2017 (n = 724). Cocaine and PTHIT concentrations have been determined by achiral liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). For distinction of levamisole/dexamisole chiral LC-MS/MS was performed. Cocaine hair concentrations ranged from 500 (cut-off) to approximately 800 000 pg/mg. The study demonstrates a strong prevalence of PTHIT in cocaine users' hair (87%, n = 627). PTHIT hair concentrations ranged from below LLOQ 3.5 to approximately 61 000 pg/mg (median: 260 pg/mg). Surprisingly, enantiomeric ratios of levamisole/dexamisole ranged from 0.17 to 1.34 (median: 0.63). Therefore, PTHIT-adulterated street cocaine samples (n = 24) seized between 2013 and 2016 were tested. Samples mainly contained racemic tetramisole (87.5%), only one sample contained levamisole only and two samples contained non-racemic PTHIT. Our experiments suggest that the presence of tetramisole in biological samples may have hitherto been underestimated. Most probably higher dexamisole than levamisole concentrations in hair specimens arise from stereoselective metabolism and/or elimination. This is particularly important in light of the different pharmacological activities of the two enantiomers and potentially different adverse effects. Toxicological interpretations in intoxication cases with adulterated cocaine should not only consider levamisole but also tetramisole and terminology in scientific contributions should be used accordingly.

Enantioselective simultaneous analysis of selected pharmaceuticals in environmental samples by ultrahigh performance supercritical fluid based chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

In order to assess the true impact of each single enantiomer of pharmacologically active compounds (PACs) in the environment, highly efficient, fast and sensitive analytical methods are needed. For the first time this paper focuses on the use of ultrahigh performance supercritical fluid based chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer to develop multi-residue enantioselective methods for chiral PACs in environmental matrices. This technique exploits the advantages of supercritical fluid chromatography, ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Two coated modified 2.5 µm-polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases were investigated: an amylose tris-3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate column and a cellulose tris-3-chloro-4-methylphenylcarbamate column. The effect of different chromatographic variables on chiral recognition is highlighted. This novel approach resulted in the baseline resolution of 13 enantiomers PACs (aminorex, carprofen, chloramphenicol, 3-N-dechloroethylifosfamide, flurbiprofen, 2-hydroxyibuprofen, ifosfamide, imazalil, naproxen, ofloxacin, omeprazole, praziquantel and tetramisole) and partial resolution of 2 enantiomers PACs (ibuprofen and indoprofen) under fast-gradient conditions (<10 min analysis time). The overall performance of the methods was satisfactory. The applicability of the methods was tested on influent and effluent wastewater samples. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first feasibility study on the simultaneous separation of chemically diverse chiral PACs in environmental matrices using ultrahigh performance supercritical fluid based chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry.

A simple extraction method for the simultaneous detection of tetramisole and diethylcarbamazine in milk, eggs, and porcine muscle using gradient liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Analysis of residual quantities of contaminants in foods of animal origin is crucial for quality control of consumer products. This study was aimed to develop a simple and raid analytical method for detection of tetramisole and diethylcarbamazine using gradient liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Tetramisole, diethylcarbamazine, and guaifenesin (as an internal standard) were extracted from milk, eggs, and porcine muscle using acetonitrile followed by partitioning at -20 °C for 1h. No extract purification was deemed necessary. The analytes were separated on C18 column using ammonium formate both in water and methanol. Good linearity was achieved over the tested concentration range with R(2) ⩾ 0.974. Recovery at two fortification levels ranged between 67.47% and 97.38%. The intra- and inter-day precisions were <20%. The limit of quantification was 0.2 and 2 ng/g for tetramisole and diethylcarbamazine, respectively. An analytical survey of samples purchased from large markets showed that none of the samples contained any of the target analytes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the quantitative determination of tetramisole and diethylcarbamazine in animal food products.

Determination of levamisole and tetramisole in seized cocaine samples by enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography and circular dichroism detection.

Levamisole, an anthelmintic drug, has been increasingly employed as an adulterant of illicit street cocaine over the last decade; recently, the use of tetramisole, the racemic mixture of levamisole and its enantiomer dexamisole, was also occasionally observed. A new enantioselective high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method, performed on cellulose tris(3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate) chiral stationary phases in normal-phase mode, was validated to determine the enantiomeric composition of tetramisole enantiomers in seized cocaine samples. Furthermore, the hyphenation of the validated HPLC method with a circular dichroism (CD) detection system allowed the direct determination of elution order and a selective monitoring of levamisole and dexamisole in the presence of possible interferences. The method was applied to the identification and quantitation of the two enantiomers of tetramisole in seized street cocaine samples.

Potentiometric sensor for the high throughput determination of tetramisole hydrochloride.

The electrochemical response characteristics of poly(vinyl)chloride (PVC) based membrane sensors for determination of tetramisole hydrochloride (TmCl) is described. The membranes of these electrodes consist of tetramisole-tetraphenyl borate (Tm-TPB), chlorophenyl borate (Tm-ClPB), and phosphotungstate (Tm(3)-PT) ion associations dispersed in a PVC matrix with dibutylpthalate as a plasticizer. The electrodes were fully characterized in terms of composition, life span, usable pH range, and working concentration range and ionic strength. The electrodes showed Nernstian response over the concentration ranges of 7.4 x 10(-7) to 1.0 x 10(-2) M, 1.7 x 10(-6) to 1.0 x 10(-2) M, and 5.6 x 10(-6) to 1.0 x 10(-2) M TmCl, respectively, and were applied to the potentiometric determination of tetramisole ion in pure solutions and pharmaceutical preparations. The potentiometric determination was also used in the determination of tetramisole in pharmaceutical preparations in four batches of different expiration dates. The electrodes exhibited good selectivity for TmCl with respect to a large number of excipients such as inorganic cations, organic cations, amino acids, and sugars. The solubility product of the ion-pair and the formation constant of the precipitation reaction leading to the ion-pair formation were determined conductometrically. The new potentiometric method offers the advantages of high-throughput determination, simplicity, accuracy, automation feasibility, and applicability to turbid and colored sample solutions.

Facile colorimetric methods for the quantitative determination of tetramisole hydrochloride.

A facile, rapid and sensitive methods for the determination of tetramisole hydrochloride in pure and in dosage forms are described. The procedures are based on the formation of coloured products with the chromogenic reagents alizarin blue BB (I), alizarin red S (II), alizarin violet 3R (III) and alizarin yellow G (IV). The coloured products showed absorption maxima at 605, 468, 631 and 388 nm for I-IV, respectively. The colours obtained were stable for 24 h. The colour system obeyed Beer's law in the concentration range 1.0-36, 0.8-32, 1.2-42 and 0.8-30 microg ml(-1) respectively. The results obtained showed good recoveries with relative standard deviations of 1.27, 0.96, 1.13 and 1.35%, respectively. The detection and determination limits were found to be 1.0 and 3.8, 1.2 and 4.2, 1.0 and 3.9 and finally 1.4 and 4.8 ng ml(-1) for I-IV complexes, respectively. Applications of the method to representative pharmaceutical formulations are represented and the validity assessed by applying the standard addition technique, which is comparable with that obtained using the official method.

[The detection of veterinary preparations in forensic chemical investigations]. / Obnaruzhenie veterinarnykh preparatov pri sudebno-khimicheskikh issledovaniiakh.

A method for detecting tetramisole from biological objects by 10% acetic acid is proposed. Color tests and thin-layer chromatography were used for detecting tetramisole in biological objects.

High-pressure liquid chromatographic analysis of veterinary anthelmintics I: Quantitative determination of tetramisole.

High-pressure liquid chromatography was used with a 10-micron C8-type bonded silica gel column to quantitate the tetramisole in veterinary anthelmintic preparations. The chromatographic elution time was less than 10 min, and other compounds present in the products analyzed did not interefere.