Metabolic profiling of four synthetic stimulants, including the novel indanyl-cathinone 5-PPDi, after human hepatocyte incubation / 药物分析学报

Synthetic cathinones are new psychoactive substances that represent a health risk worldwide. For most of the 130 reported compounds, information about toxicology and/or metabolism is not available, which hampers their detection (and subsequent medical treatment) in intoxication cases. The principles of forensic analytical chemistry and the use of powerful analytical techniques are indispensable for stab-lishing the most appropriate biomarkers for these substances. Human metabolic fate of synthetic cathinones can be assessed by the analysis of urine and blood obtained from authentic consumers;however, this type of samples is limited and difficult to access. In this work, the metabolic behaviour of three synthetic cathinones (4-CEC, 4-CPrC and 5-PPDi) and one amphetamine (3-FEA) has been evalu-ated by incubation with pooled human hepatocytes and metabolite identification has been performed by high-resolution mass spectrometry. This in vitro approach has previously shown its feasibility for obtaining excretory human metabolites. 4-CEC and 3-FEA were not metabolised, and for 4-CPrC only two minor metabolites were obtained. On the contrary, for the recently reported 5-PPDi, twelve phase I metabolites were elucidated. Up to our knowledge, this is the first metabolic study of an indanyl-cathinone. Data reported in this paper will allow the detection of these synthetic stimulants in intoxi-cation cases, and will facilitate future research on the metabolic behaviour of other indanyl-based cathinones.

[Scorpion envenomation in Morocco: scorpions of the genus Androctonus, Buthus and Hottentota]. / L'envenimation scorpionique au Maroc : scorpions du genre Androctonus, Buthus et Hottentota.

Around the world and especially in summer, the scorpion envenomation is a real public health problem. In Morocco, its gravity is due to the diversity of genera of the Buthidae family whose their venom is potentially lethal, mainly the genus Androctonus, Buthus and Hottentota. The areas most affected by this problematic are the central and southern of Morocco. The lethality of scorpion's venom primarily affects children. It is rich in neurotoxic polypeptides that have targeted ion channel membrane Na(+), K(+) activated or not by Ca(++). The toxins polymorphism causes pathophysiological disorders. The diversity of symptomatic treatment in the absence of immunotherapy is due to variability in clinical pictures, which depends on the species involved and the patient at risk. The objective of this review is to highlight the magnitude of the scorpion envenomation by describing its epidemiological characteristics, elucidate the pathophysiological effects of the venom of the most dangerous scorpions in Morocco the genus Androctonus, Buthus and Hottentota, and their therapeutic treatment.

Cardiac involvement and its complications about three cases of severe scorpion envenomation.

For several decades, Morocco is confronted to medico-social problem of scorpion stings and envenomations. In 2009, epidemiological data established by the Poison Control Center recorded 29,816 stung patients, with an incidence of 1.1‰ and a fatality rate of 0.18%. The neurotoxins from scorpion venom are potent activators of the autonomic nervous system resulting a physiopathological disorder of vital systems. The most serious clinical manifestations are neurotoxic effects, pulmonary edema and cardiovascular distress. This present work reports the cases of three children (4 years and 6 months, 8 months and 15 days, 4 years), hospitalized in intensive care for an envenomation by Androctonus mauritanicus (the most fatal scorpion specie). The children presented cardiac dysfunction where pulmonary edema and state of shock were complications resultants. Two cases survived after supportive and symptomatic treatment based on dobutamine as primordial treatment in cardiovascular and pulmonary correction and other drugs. The third case died. The objective of this work was to detect the limit of the effectiveness of symptomatic treatment during a severe scorpion envenomation.