Page 26 - Advances in Forensic Applications of Mass Spectrometry - Jehuda Yinon

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1.4.1.1 Screening Procedures for Detection of Particular Drug
Classes of Basic or Neutral Drugs and/or Their
Metabolites in Urine
1.4.1.1.1 Central Stimulants. Central stimulants are drugs of abuse as
well as doping agents. Immunoassays are available for amphetamine and
some of its derivatives as well as for cocaine metabolites. In the past, series
of papers have described confirmation of amphetamines or cocaine after
suitable isolation and derivatization and GC/MS. 5,123 SPME is a more recent
alternative for rapid, sensitive, and solvent-free determination of ampheta-
mines in urine. 80,124 However, such confirmation of positive immunoassay
results for amphetamines should not be limited to detection of amphetamine
and methamphetamine by GC/MS in the selected-ion monitoring (SIM)
mode unless the testing program forbids analysis of analytes not specifically
put into the testing program. Amphetamine and methamphetamine derived
medicaments must be considered as part of a proper interpretation of
amphetamine-positive results. Detection of the hydroxy metabolites may help
extend the time of differentiation of illicit amphetamine abuse from intake
of medicaments. 125–132 However, in the late phase of excretion after intake of
amphetamine-derived medicaments, amphetamine, or methamphetamine
are often the only metabolites which can be detected in urine. In such urine
samples, differentiation of illicit amphetamine or methamphetamine intake
from the intake of such medicaments may not be possible. In recent years,
review articles have been published which discussed these problems. 5,133,134

1.4.1.1.2 Designer Drugs (Rave Drugs). The amphetamine-derived
designer drugs MDA, MDMA, and MDE as well as BDB and MBDB have
gained great popularity as “rave drugs.” They produce feelings of euphoria
135
and energy and a desire to socialize. Nichols coined the term entactogens for
136
this new group of drugs. Although the designer drugs had the reputation
of being safe, several experimental studies in rats and humans and epidemi-
ological studies indicated risks to humans. Recent papers and reviews
describe the current knowledge on hepatotoxicity 137–141 and neurotoxicity, 142
psychopathology and abuse potential of such designer drugs. 135,142–156 Screen-
ing procedures are needed because these drugs may lead to more or less severe
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poisonings and driving impairment. 21,157 Commercial immunoassays are
availabe for urine (and blood) testing, but not all amphetamine IAs are
suitable for detection of its methylenedioxy derivatives. 158–162 There is no IA
available for testing the new piperazine-derived designer drugs which have
been found on the illicit market as a new group of designer drugs. 45,60,163–167
Shulgin mentioned BZP as a “pure stimulant” and TFMPP as an “active
hallucinogen” in his book Pikhal. BZP is said to produce similar effects as
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dexamphetamine and to act as a central serotoninomimetic. 170
169
© 2004 by CRC Press LLC