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'K2/SPICE' products are commonly laced with aminoalkylindole synthetic cannabinoids (i.e., JWH-018 and JWH-073) and are touted as ‘legal’ marijuana substitutes. Here we validate a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methsod for measuring urinary concentrations of JWH-018, JWH-073, and several potential metabolites of each. The analytical procedure has high capacity for sample throughput and does not require solid phase or liquid extraction. Evaluation of human urine specimens collected after the subjects reportedly administered JWH-018 or a mixture of JWH-018 and JWH-073 provides preliminary evidence of clinical utility. Two subjects that consumed JWH-018 primarily excreted glucuronidated conjugates of 5-(3-(1-naphthoyl)-1H-indol-1-yl)-pentanoic acid (> 50 ng/ml) and (1-(5-hydroxypentyl)- 1H -indol-3-yl)(naphthalene-1-yl)-methanone (> 30 ng/ml). Interestingly, oxidized metabolites of both JWH-018 and JWH-073 were detected in these specimens, suggesting either metabolic demethylation of JWH-018 to JWH-073 or a non-reported, previous JWH-073 exposure. Metabolic profiles generated from a subject who consumed a mixture of JWH-018 and JWH-073 were similar to profiles generated from subjects who presumably consumed JWH-018 exclusively. Oxidized metabolites of JWH-018 and JWH-073 were of the same pattern, but JWH-018 metabolites were excreted at lower concentrations. These results begin clinically validating the LC-MS/MS assay for detecting and quantifying aminoalkylindole metabolites. Full validation awaits further testing.

The preparation of hydroxylamine analogs of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenols (DTBP) and the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (CO) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) by these compounds is discussed.

The preparation of a series of analogs of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol linked to a 1,3,4-oxadiazole or 1,3,4-thiadiazole via an ethylene or methyleneoxy spacer is discussed.

The preparation of a series of 1,3,4-thiadiazoles and 1,3,4-oxadizoles linked by a thioether to 2,6-di-t-butylphenol and the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (CO) and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) by these compounds is dicussed.

The preparation of a series of analogs of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol linked to a 1,3,4-oxadiazole or 1,3,4-thiadiazole via an ethylene or methyleneoxy spacer is discussed.

Replacement of the carboxylic acid function of inodmethacin with reversed hydroxamic acids converted this selective cyclooxygenase (CO) inhibitor into dual inhibitors of CO and 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO).

It was previously reported that 3-alkoxybenzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamides exemplified by 1, 5-methoxy-3-(1-methylethoxy)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide, decreased the adherence of neutrophils to activated endothelial cells by inhibiting the upregulation of the adhesion molecules E-selectin and ICAM-1 on the surface of the endothelium. This finding is extended here to a series of 3-thiobenzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamides and also heterocyclic analogs of 1, including benzofurans, indoles, and naphthalenes. The compounds that inhibited the expression of E-selectin and ICAM-1 had the same effect on the expression of VCAM-1. PD 144795, 5-methoxy-3-(1-methylethoxy)benzo[b]thiophene-2-carboxamide 1-oxide (44), the sulfoxide analog of 1, was orally active in several models of inflammation. The in vitro and in vivo activity of PD 144795 resided predominately in the S-enantiomer.

Azacyclic analogues of 2-deoxy-KDO have been synthesized from KDO via reductive amination at C-2 and ring closure on C-6 with double inversion.

Although 8-amino-2,6-anhydro-3,8-dideoxy-D-glycero-D-talo-octonic acid (2) is a potent inhibitor of 3-deoxy-D-manno-octulosonate cytidylyltransferase (CMP-KDO synthetase), it is unable to reach its cytoplasmic target and is therefore inactive as an antibacterial agent. However, esterification of 2 with 8-(hydroxymethyl)-1-naphthyl methyl disulfide (8) generates a prodrug (12), which gains entry into bacterial cells. Intracellular reduction of the disulfide leads to a rapid, intramolecular, displacement of the acid 2, which then inhibits the growth of Gram-negative bacteria by interfering with the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide.

We describe here a sensitive method for the purification and analysis of porphyrins present in hematoporphyrin derivative. Hematoporphyrin derivative is a solution containing a complex mixture of dicarboxylic porphyrins such as hematoporphyrin IX, monohydroxyethyl monovinyl deuteroporphyrin isomers, and protoporphyrin IX in addition to porphyrin aggregates of variable molecular sizes. This mixture is known for its ability to be selectively retained by tumor cells and for its cytotoxicity in the presence of light. In order to study the mechanisms of hematoporphyrin derivative uptake and its cellular metabolism, extraction methods are required that combine high recoveries with minimum changes of very labile components. Extraction with perchloric acid: methanol mixtures recovered only some 60% of the porphyrins taken up by tumor cells and artifactual fluorescent spots were seen on thin-layer chromatograms. Improved yields were obtained upon extraction with dimethyl sulfoxide or Triton X-100:4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethane-sulfonic acid (Hepes) buffer mixture, but the extracts were not suitable for reverse-phase thin-layer chromatography (RTLC). The procedure described here consists of extracting porphyrins from cultured tumor cells with a buffered detergent followed by sequential chromatography on DEAE-cellulose columns and on reverse-phase octadecylsilyl cartridges. Identification of the isolated free dicarboxylic porphyrins is conveniently done by RTLC.