Abstract
This paper reviews scientific contributions on the identification and/or quantification of metabolites of drugs of abuse in in vitro assays or various body samples using hyphenated mass spectrometry. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as well as liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) approaches are considered and discussed if they have been reported in the last five years and are relevant to clinical and forensic toxicology or doping control. Workup and artifact formation are discussed, and typical examples of studies of the metabolism of designer drugs, doping agents, herbal drugs, and synthetic cannabinoids are provided. Procedures for quantifying metabolites in body samples for pharmacokinetic studies or in enzyme incubations for enzyme kinetic studies are also reviewed. In conclusion, the reviewed papers showed that both GC-MS and LC-MS still have important roles to play in research into the metabolism of drugs of abuse, including doping agents.
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Abbreviations
- 2C-I:
-
4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxy-beta-phenethylamine
- 2C-T-2:
-
2,5-Dimethoxy-4-ethylthio-beta-phenethylamine
- AC:
-
Acetylation
- AEME:
-
Anhydroecgonine methyl ester
- APCI:
-
Atmospheric pressure chemical ionization
- BDB:
-
Benzodioxolyl-butanamine
- CID:
-
Collision-induced dissociation
- CYP:
-
Cytochrome P450
- DOA:
-
Drugs of abuse
- DOB:
-
4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine
- DOC:
-
4-Chloro-2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine
- DOI:
-
4-Iodo-2,5-dimethoxyamphetamine
- EDDP:
-
2-Ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine
- EI:
-
Electron ionization
- EMDP:
-
2-Ethyl-5-methyl-3,3-diphenylpyrroline
- ESI:
-
Electrospray ionization
- GC:
-
Gas chromatography
- GC-MS:
-
Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry
- GHB:
-
Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid
- HFB:
-
Heptafluorobutyrilation
- HRMS:
-
High-resolution mass spectrometry
- LC:
-
Liquid chromatography
- LC-MS:
-
Liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry
- LIT:
-
Linear ion trap
- LLE:
-
Liquid–liquid extraction
- MBDB:
-
Methylbenzodioxolylbutanamine
- MDA:
-
3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine
- MDEA:
-
3,4-Methylenedioxyethylamphetamine
- MDMA:
-
3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
- MDOB:
-
4-Bromo-2,5-dimethoxymethamphetamine
- MDPV:
-
Methylenedioxypyrovalerone
- MPBP:
-
4-Methylpyrrolidinobutyrophenone
- MS:
-
Mass spectrometry
- MS/MS:
-
Tandem mass spectrometry
- NICI:
-
Negative-ion chemical ionization
- ODT:
-
O-demethyl tramadol
- PCEEA:
-
N-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-2-ethoxyethanamine
- PCEPA:
-
N-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-3-ethoxypropanamine
- PCMEA:
-
N-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-2-methoxyethanamine
- PCMPA:
-
N-(1-phenylcyclohexyl)-3-methoxypropanamine
- PICI:
-
Positive-ion chemical ionization
- PMMA:
-
P-methoxymethamphetamine
- PP:
-
Protein precipitation
- Q:
-
Quadrupole
- QTOF:
-
Quadrupole–time-of-flight hybrid
- QTRAP:
-
Quadrupole–linear ion trap hybrid
- RI:
-
Retention index
- S-HFBPCl:
-
S-heptafluorobutyrylprolyl chloride
- SPE:
-
Solid-phase extraction
- TFA:
-
Trifluoroacetylation
- TMA-2:
-
2,4,5-Trimethoxyamphetamine
- TMS:
-
Trimethylsilylation
- TOF:
-
Time of flight
- UGT:
-
Uridine-5′-diphosphoglucuronosyltransferases
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Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Andrea E. Schwaninger and Dirk K. Wissenbach for their suggestions.
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Meyer, M.R., Maurer, H.H. Current status of hyphenated mass spectrometry in studies of the metabolism of drugs of abuse, including doping agents. Anal Bioanal Chem 402, 195–208 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5331-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5331-6