Toksikološke metode otkrivanja opojnih droga u tragovima: kromatografska, spektroskopska i biološka karakterizacija derivata ecstasyja

Analysis often reveals variability in the composition of ecstasy pills from pure 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) to mixtures of MDMA derivatives, amphetamine, and other unidentifi ed substances. For a comprehensive toxicological analysis one needs to know all steps to MDMA synthesis which may originate impurities. The aim of this study was to synthesise and determine the chemical-physical and in vitro biological properties of a series of MDMA derivatives. 3,4-methylendioxyphenyl-2-nitropropene (MDNP) was obtained by condensation of piperonal with an excess of nitroethane in the presence of ammonium acetate. MDNP was then reduced to methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) by LiAlH3. All compounds were analysed using HPLC and spectroscopic technique [Raman, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), or infrared (IR)] at all the steps of synthesis. In addition, we assessed the biological potentials of these compounds by measuring in vitro their (i) blood cell/whole blood partition coeffi cient, (ii) binding to plasmatic proteins (Fbp), and (iii) membrane adsorption. Chemical structure was determined with antibody fl uorescence polarisation immunoassay (FPIA). This study showed the presence of solid impurities, particularly of a neurotoxic compound of Al3+ in the fi nal products. FPIA identifi ed the aminoethane group close to the substituted benzene ring, but did not detect the two major precursors of MDMA: MDNP and piperonal. Raman spectroscopy is an attractive alternative technique to characterise ecstasy pills and it can identify stereoisomeric forms such as cis-MDNP and trans-MDNP, which exhibit signals at 1650 cm-1 and 1300 cm-1, respectively.Analize često otkriju neujednačenost sastava tableta ecstasyja od čistoga 3,4-metilendioksimetamfetamina (MDMA) do mješavina njegovih derivata, amfetamina i drugih neutvrđenih tvari. Stoga je za kvalitetnu toksikološku analizu potreban uvid u sve korake sinteze MDMA, s obzirom na to da se ondje vjerojatno kriju izvori nečistoće (prekursori, katalizatori). Cilj ovog ispitivanja bio je sintetizirati derivate MDMA te napraviti njihovu kemijsko-fi zikalnu i biološku in vitro karakterizaciju. 3,4-metilendioksifenil-2-nitropropen (MDNP) dobiven je kondenzacijom piperonala u suvišku nitroetana uz dodatak amonijeva acetata. Njegovom redukcijom s pomoću LiAlH3 dobiven je 3,4-metilendioksiamfetamin (MDA). Svi spojevi iz pojedinih koraka sinteze karakterizirani su s pomoću tekućinske kromatografi je visoke djelotvornosti (HPLC) i spektroskopskih tehnika [Ramanove spektroskopije, nuklearne magnetske rezonancije (NMR-a) te infracrvene spektroskopije (IR-a)]. Usto je ocijenjen i njihov biološki učinak in vitro mjerenjem (i) koefi cijenta raspodjele krvna stanica/puna krv, (ii) vezanja za bjelančevine u plazmi (Fbp) te (iii) adsorpcije na membranu. Kemijska je struktura utvrđena s pomoću fl uorescentnoga polarizacijskog imunokemijskog testa (FPIA). Analiza je u konačnim proizvodima utvrdila prisutnost krutih nečistoća, napose spojeva neurotoksičnog aluminija (Al3+). FPIA je prepoznao aminoetansku skupinu blizu supstituiranoga benzenskog prstena, ali ne i dva glavna prekursora za MDMA: MDNP i piperonal. Posebno je zanimljiva Ramanova spektroskopija budući da (i) pruža privlačnu alternativu za karakterizaciju sastava tableta ecstasyja te (ii) može otkriti stereoizomerne cis/trans-oblike spoja poput cis-MDNP-a odnosno trans-MDNP-a, čiji se signal vidi na 1650 cm-1 odnosno 1300 cm-1