Search

We encountered during our investigation a case of herbal drug products commercially available in the Tokyo metropolitan area in 2014, in which a small unknown peak was detected, along with the intense peak of FUB-144, by liquid chromatography-ultraviolet detection. The present study was conducted to identify and clarify the pharmacological characteristics of the compound present in this small peak. We isolated a compound using a silica gel column from the peak, which was then identified to have a molecular weight of 241 Da by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The accurate mass measurement suggested an elementary composition of CHNO. Using these mass data together with those obtained by the nuclear magnetic resonance analysis, the compound was finally identified as (1 H-indol-3-yl)(2,2,3,3-tetramethylcyclopropyl)methanone (despentyl-UR-144; DP-UR-144). In addition, this compound was revealed to have affinities for cannabinoid receptors CB and CB with ECs of 2.36 × 10 and 2.79 × 10 M, respectively. To our knowledge, there is no information in the scientific literature on structural or pharmacological properties of this chemical. These results suggest that the components present in small amounts can contribute to the effects of a major component in their mother product, if they have sufficient pharmacological activities, and, therefore, even such small amounts of components should be precisely characterized and well evaluated to control illegal and potentially illegal drug products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During our careful survey of unregulated psychotropic drugs in June 2013 in the Tokyo metropolitan area, we found a new compound in a herbal product. It was identified as an analog of NNEI (MN-24) and differed in that its molecule possessed another N-pentyl indole-carbonyl group: N, N-bis(1-pentylindol-3-yl-carboxy)naphtylamine (BiPICANA, compound 2). Compound 2 was purified by silica and octadecyl group bonded type silica gel (C18, ODS) columns and confirmed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, accurate mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. No pharmacological information on compound 2 has been reported previously; our experiments on the binding ability of compound 2 to cannabinoid receptors revealed that it has affinities for CB and CB receptors (EC = 3.80 and 8.77 × 10 M, respectively). This is the first report identifying compound 2 in a dubious herbal product and demonstrating its binding affinities to cannabinoid receptors. Binding affinities of azepane isomers (compounds 3 and 4) of AM-1220 and AM-2233, also found in commercial products in Japan, are also presented in this report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During our continual surveillance of unregulated drugs in May-June 2011, we found two new compounds as adulterants in herbal products obtained at shops in the Tokyo area. These compounds were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, accurate mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The first compound identified was a naphthoylindole (1-(5-hydroxypentyl)-1 H-indol-3-yl)(naphthalen-1-yl)methanone (AM-2202, 1), which is a side-chain hydroxyl analogue of JWH-018. The second compound was (1-(4-pentenyl)-1 H-indol-3-yl)(naphthalen-1-yl)methanone ( 2), which is side-chain double bond analogue of JWH-018. This is the first report to identify 1 and 2 in a commercial 'herbal' product to our knowledge. For quantitation of the above compounds 1 and 2, and chemical analysis for previously reported compounds (AM-2201, 3; JWH-203, 4; JWH-019, 7; JWH-210, 8; mitragynine, 9), each product was extracted with methanol under ultrasonication to prepare solutions for analysis by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. For the sake of identifying JWH-203 ( 4) and its positional isomers [JWH-203-3-chloroisomer ( 5) and 4-chloroisomer ( 6)] correctly, simultaneous liquid chromatography analysis on fluorocarbon-bonded silica gel column was performed. And a case report of commercially available products containing synthetic cannabinoids 7 and 8, and a natural occurring alkaloid 9, was also shown. Each of 6 commercially circulated products contained compounds 1- 4 and 7- 9; the amounts of the compounds ranged from 4.1 to 222 mg per pack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During our careful surveillance of unregulated drugs, we found five new compounds used as adulterants in herbal and drug-like products obtained via the Internet. These compounds were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, accurate mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The first compound identified was a benzoylindole AM-694, which is 1-[(5-fluoropentyl)-1 H-indol-3-yl]-(2-iodophenyl)methanone ( 1). The second compound was (4-methoxyphenyl)(1-pentyl-1 H-indol-3-yl)methanone ( 2), which was also classified as a benzoylindole. The three other compounds were identified as naphthoylindoles JWH-210 (4-ethylnaphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone; 3), JWH-122 (4-methylnaphthalen-1-yl-(1-pentylindol-3-yl)methanone; 4), and JWH-019 (1-hexyl-3-(naphthalen-1-oyl)indole; 5). All compounds except compound 2 had been reported to be cannabinoid receptor agonists. For quantitation of the five compounds and previously reported compounds, each product was extracted with methanol under ultrasonication to prepare a test solution for analysis by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Each compound detected in 43 commercial products showed large variation in content ranging from 4.0 to 359 mg per pack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During our careful surveillance of unregulated drugs in January to February 2011, we found two new compounds used as adulterants in herbal products obtained via the Internet. These compounds were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, accurate mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The first compound identified was a benzoylindole (2-methoxyphenyl)(1-pentyl-1 H-indol-3-yl)methanone ( 1), which is a positional isomer of (4-methoxyphenyl)(1-pentyl-1 H-indol-3-yl)methanone (RCS-4, 4). The second compound was 1-(5-fluoropentyl-1 H-indol-3-yl)-(naphthalene-1-yl)methanone (AM-2201, 2). The compound 2 has been reported to be a cannabinoid receptor agonist. Because the cannabimimetic effects of compounds 1 and 4 have not been reported to date, their biological activities were evaluated by measuring the activation of [S] guanosine-5′- O-(3-thio)-triphosphate binding to guanine nucleotide-binding proteins, together with those of other synthetic cannabimimetic compounds. For quantitation of the above two compounds ( 1 and 2) and previously identified compounds (AM-694, 3; JWH-122, 5; RCS-4, 4), each product was extracted with methanol under ultrasonication to prepare a sample solution for analysis by liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. Each of four commercial products contained some of cannabimimetic indoles 1- 5; their contents ranged from 14.8 to 185 mg per pack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genus Lophophora (Cactaceae) has two species: Lophophora williamsii Coulter, which is called peyote, and L. diffusa Bravo. Although it was reported that L. williamsii contained mescaline and L. diffusa did not, we found L. williamsii specimens that did not contain mescaline. This finding indicated that the two species could not be differentiated in terms of mescaline content. Moreover, the relationship between mescaline content and morphology of the two species is also unknown. In this study, we attempted to clarify the difference in morphology, mescaline content, and DNA alignment of the chloroplast trnL/ trnF region between L. williamsii and L. diffusa. As a result, L. williamsii specimens were classified into two groups. Group 1 had small protuberances on the epidermis, contained mescaline, and the analyzed region on the trnL/ trnF sequence was 881 base pairs (bp) long in all except one (877 bp). Group 2 had large protuberances on the epidermis, did not contain mescaline, and the analyzed region was 893 bp long. On the other hand, L. diffusa had medium-sized protuberances on the epidermis, did not contain mescaline, and the analyzed region was 903 bp long. Also investigated was the potential application of the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method as a means of identification based on the trnL/ trnF sequence. By applying the PCR-RFLP method, the two species could be distinguished and L. williamsii specimens could be differentiated into group 1 and group 2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the efficiency of methylation for analyzing brominated vegetable oil (BVO). In this report, we investigated whether 1 H-NMR is an applicable method for assessing the efficiency of methylation to analyze BVO. 1 H-NMR sufficiently calculated the efficiency of methylation using each integral and the numbers of protons derived from the methyl group, which is characteristic in products, and the methine group, which is characteristic in unreacted substances. Additionally, the efficiency of methylation calculated via 1 H-NMR was in good agreement with changes in the peak area of BVO fatty acid methyl esters (BVOFAMEs) after various heating times obtained from GC-FID analysis. Therefore, 1 H-NMR is applicable for calculating the efficiency of methylation to analyze BVO.

Some illegal dietary supplements contain phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, such as sildenafil, for exerting "therapeutic" effects in erectile dysfunction. This is apparently dangerous, and thus, should be appropriately regulated. Identification of descarbonsildenafil was first reported in Singapore in a coffee sample labeled to exert male sexual performance enhancement effects. However, it is unclear whether the compound possesses PDE5 inhibitory activity. We encountered during our survey of dietary supplements, a sexual enhancement product commercially available in Tokyo, in which a peak presumed to be of descarbonsildenafil was detected by LC-UV and electrospray ionization-tandem MS (ESI-MS/MS). The compound was isolated and identified as descarbonsildenafil with liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight-mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS), NMR, and X-ray crystal structural analysis. In addition, descarbonsildenafil showed PDE5 inhibitory activity in PDE5 inhibition assay, and its IC 50 value for PDE5A1 was found to be 30 nmol/L. The results of INADEQUATE NMR and X-ray crystal structural analysis in this study provide information for the identification of descarbonsildenafil. Since this study indicates that this compound is a PDE5 inhibitor having adequate activity, it is regulated as a drug component in Japan.

LC/Tribrid Orbitrap was developed to determine phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors and their analogs as adulterants in dietary supplements. High-resolution MS/MS and MS 3 spectra of PDE-5 inhibitors and their analogs were obtained by LC/Tribrid Orbitrap using both higher-energy collisional dissociation and collision-induced dissociation. We investigated dietary supplements that claim to enhance men's sexual performance, and detected PDE-5 inhibitors and their analogs. We also estimated the structures of the PDE-5 inhibitor analogs and the impurities of PDE-5 inhibitors and their analogs in the dietary supplements.

Despite the implementation of a new blanket scheduling system in 2013, new psychoactive substance (NPS) abuse remains a serious social concern in Japan. We present a fatal intoxication case involving 5F-ADB (methyl 2-[1-(5-fluoropentyl)-1H-indazole-3-carboxamido]-3,3-dimethylbutanoate) and diphenidine. Postmortem blood screening by liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/Q-TOFMS) in the information-dependent acquisition mode only detected diphenidine. Further urinary screening using an in-house database containing NPS and metabolites detected not only diphenidine but also possible 5F-ADB metabolites; subsequent targeted screening by LC/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) allowed for the detection of a very low level of unchanged 5F-ADB in postmortem heart blood. Quantification by standard addition resulted in the postmortem blood concentrations being 0.19 ± 0.04 ng/mL for 5F-ADB and 12 ± 2.6 ng/mL for diphenidine. Investigation of the urinary metabolites revealed pathways involving ester hydrolysis (M1) and oxidative defluorination (M2), and further oxidation to the carboxylic acid (M3) for 5F-ADB. Mono- and di-hydroxylated diphenidine metabolites were also found. The present case demonstrates the importance of urinary metabolite screening for drugs with low blood concentration. Synthetic cannabinoids (SCs) fluorinated at the terminal N-alkyl position are known to show higher cannabinoid receptor affinity relative to their non-fluorinated analogues; 5F-ADB is no exception with high CB 1 receptor activity and much greater potency than Δ 9 -THC and other earlier SCs, thus we suspect its acute toxicity to be high compared to other structurally related SC analogues. The low blood concentration of 5F-ADB may be attributed to enzymatic and/or non-enzymatic degradation, and further investigation into these possibilities is underway., (Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)