Facile determination of natural cannabinoids in cannabis products using a conventional fully porous particle column and isocratic high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detector

Forensic Toxicology -     

Acute liver failure following intravenous methamphetamine

A 41-y-o Pakistani man presented with psychosis, hyperthermia, rhabdomyolysis, and liver dysfunction approximately 6 h after i.v. injection of methamphetamine. Serum concentrations of methamphetamine and amphetamine on admission were 0.30 microg/mL and 0.04 microg/mL, respectively. Total serum bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase concentrations peaked on the 3rd hospital day at 8.6 mg/dL and 4155 IU/L, respectively, and gradually returned to normal with supportive care. The patient had no evidence of infectious hepatitis or intake of other drugs. Histologic examination of a liver biopsy specimen obtained on the 11th d showed confluent necrosis and ballooning degeneration in centrilobular zones. No inflammatory changes were seen in portal tracts. Liver damage can be a complication of illicit methamphetamine use, even in patients without viral infection or intake of other drugs.     

A fatal case of MAM-2201 poisoning

A 59-year-old man was found dead in his house, where three sachets containing herbal blends were found on a table. The sachet contents were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and found to contain [1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indol-3-yl](4-methyl-1-naphthalenyl)methanone (MAM-2201). The deceased was subjected to forensic autopsy. There were neither external injuries nor endogenous diseases judged by macroscopic and microscopic observations. Liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry was used to quantitate the concentrations of MAM-2201 in postmortem samples using deuterated MAM-2201 as internal standard. The MAM-2201 concentrations were: 12.4 ng/ml in whole blood; 18.1 ng/g in the liver; 11.2 ng/g in the kidney; 4.3 ng/g in the brain; and 1,535 ng/g in the adipose tissue. We concluded that the man’s death was caused by acute intoxication with MAM-2201. In addition, we propose that the adipose tissue is the specimen of choice to detect MAM-2201 in the unchanged form. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a fatal MAM-2201 poisoning case. In addition, this report is also the first to describe the distribution of the drug in postmortem human tissues and blood.     

Acute effects of a sarin-like organophosphorus agent,bis(isopropyl methyl)phosphonate,on cardiovascular parameters in anaesthetized,artificially ventilated rats

The organophosphorus compound sarin irreversibly inhibits acetylcholinesterase. We examined the acute cardiovascular effects of a sarin-like organophosphorus agent, bis(isopropyl methyl)phosphonate (BIMP), in anaesthetized, artificially ventilated rats. Intravenous administration of BIMP (0.8 mg/kg; the LD50 value) induced a long-lasting increase in blood pressure and tended to increase heart rate. In rats pretreated with the non-selective muscarinic-receptor antagonist atropine, BIMP significantly increased both heart rate and blood pressure. In atropine-treated rats, hexamethonium (antagonist of ganglionic nicotinic receptors) greatly attenuated the BIMP-induced increase in blood pressure without changing the BIMP-induced increase in heart rate. In rats treated with atropine plus hexamethonium, intravenous phentolamine (non-selective α-adrenergic receptor antagonist) plus propranolol (non-selective β-adrenergic receptor antagonist) completely blocked the BIMP-induced increases in blood pressure and heart rate. In atropine-treated rats, the reversible acetylcholinesterase inhibitor neostigmine (1 mg/kg) induced a transient increase in blood pressure, but had no effect on heart rate. These results suggest that in anaesthetized rats, BIMP induces powerful stimulation of sympathetic as well as parasympathetic nerves and thereby modulates heart rate and blood pressure. They may also indicate that an action independent of acetylcholinesterase inhibition contributes to the acute cardiovascular responses induced by BIMP.     

Simplified rapid test for poisons in emergency and critical care medicine

In emergency and critical care medicine, it is important to guess which poisons that patients have taken or been exposed to. The assumption and identification of save lives. Therefore an accurate screening system is required to treat acute poisoning patients in clinical toxicology. However, the ability of a medical center is not sufficient to analyze poisonous substances using analytical equipment. Moreover, the handling and maintenance of the equipment are tedious and costly. To improve these problems, a simple detection method should be established to identify poisons and to treat acute patients in emergency and critical care medicine. In our laboratory, various supports have been attempted for the training of analysts who cope with poisoning incidents and accidents due to toxic substances. Moreover, a simple detection method for toxic substances utilized in the medical center was developed without using expensive analysis apparatus. However, it is impossible to detect and identify chemical warfare agents in a clinical laboratory, because of possible secondary exposure to such dangerous substances in insufficient analytical laboratory equipment. Therefore it is necessary to contact related organizations possessing the proper facilities.     

Clonal propagation of Cnidium officinale by shoot tip culture

Multiple shoots were induced from the apical domes of shoot tips of Cnidium officinale Makino (Apiaceae) by culturing them on Murashige and Skoog (MS) 1 static media solidified with 0.2% gelrite and supplemented with 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) 10 (-6)M. An average of 5.3 shoots per segment were obtained within 6 weeks and this ability did not decline even after two years of subculture. Subsequent transfer of these regenerated shoots on MS media supplemented with alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) 10 (-7)M and BAP 10 (-7)M resulted in root formation. Rooted plantlets were able to grow in soil after a short period of acclimatization. Cytological observation in root tip cells of cultivated, as well as in vitro propagated plantlets revealed that in both cases the cells had 2n = 22 chromosomes indicating the homogeneity of the clonally propagated plants.     

Colorimetric detection and chromatographic analyses of designer drugs in biological materials: a comprehensive review

A number of analogues of phenethylamine and tryptamine, which are prepared by modification of the chemical structures, are being developed for circulation on the black market. Often called “designer drugs,” they are abused in many countries, and cause serious social problems in many parts of the world. Acute deaths have been reported after overdoses of designer drugs. Various methods are required for screening and routine analysis of designer drugs in biological materials for forensic and clinical purposes. Many sample preparation and chromatographic methods for analysis of these drugs in biological materials and seized items have been published. This review presents various colorimetric detections, gas chromatographic (GC)–mass spectrometric, and liquid chromatographic (LC)–mass spectrometric methods proposed for designer drug analyses. Basic information on extractions, derivatizations, GC columns, LC columns, detection limits, and linear ranges is also summarized.     

In-matrix derivatization and automated headspace solid-phase microextraction for GC-MS determination of amphetamine-related drugs in human hair

A fully automated method for analysis of amphetamine-related drugs in human hair by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was developed using headspace solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and in-matrix derivatization. Amphetamines were extracted from hair under alkaline conditions, and were simultaneously derivatized to N-ethoxycarbonyl amphetamines with ethylchloroformate in a vial. An SPME fiber was then exposed to the headspace at 80°C for 10 min for extraction. The derivatives extracted into the stationary phase of the fiber were desorbed by exposing the fiber in an injection port of a GC-MS instrument. The calibration curves showed linearity up to 10ng/mg in hair. The detection limits ranged from 0.01 to 0.5 ng/mg according to the compound identity. No interferences were found, and the time required for analysis was about 30 min per sample. Furthermore, this proposed method was applied to diagnosis of methamphetamine intake in actual cases; methamphetamine and its metabolite amphetamine were able to be detected in hair of abuser patients admitted to a hospital.