Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015;33(2):175-194.
doi: 10.1007/s11419-015-0270-0. Epub 2015 Mar 6.

Comprehensive review of the detection methods for synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones

Akira Namera  1 , Maho Kawamura  2 , Akihiro Nakamoto  2 , Takeshi Saito  3 , Masataka Nagao  1
Affiliations

Comprehensive review of the detection methods for synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones

Akira Namera et al. Forensic Toxicol. 2015.

Abstract

A number of N-alkyl indole or indazole-3-carbonyl analogs, with modified chemical structures, are distributed throughout the world as synthetic cannabinoids. Like synthetic cannabinoids, cathinone analogs are also abused and cause serious problems worldwide. Acute deaths caused by overdoses of these drugs have been reported. Various analytical methods that can cope with the rapid changes in chemical structures are required for routine analysis and screening of these drugs in seized and biological materials for forensic and clinical purposes. Although many chromatographic methods to analyze each drug have been published, there are only a few articles summarizing these analytical methods. This review presents the various colorimetric detections, immunochemical assays, gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric methods, and liquid chromatographic-mass spectrometric methods proposed for the analysis of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones.

Keywords: Analytical methods; Cannabimimetics; Cathinones; GC–MS-MS; LC–MS-MS; Synthetic cannabinoids.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Structures of synthetic cannabinoids
Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Structures of synthetic cannabinoids
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Structures of cathinones
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Typical mass spectra of synthetic cannabinoids obtained by GC–MS. a JWH-018, b RCS-4, c JWH-250, d AM-1220, e THJ-018, f APICA, g NNEI, h ADBICA, i QUPIC (PB-22), j ADB-PINACA, k AB-CHMINACA
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Typical mass spectra of synthetic cannabinoids obtained by GC–MS. a JWH-018, b RCS-4, c JWH-250, d AM-1220, e THJ-018, f APICA, g NNEI, h ADBICA, i QUPIC (PB-22), j ADB-PINACA, k AB-CHMINACA
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Probable fragmentation pathways of synthetic cannabinoids by electrospray ionization and electron ionization (modified from references [12, 31])
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Probable fragmentation pathways of cathinones by electrospray ionization and electron ionization (modified from references [61, 62, 65, 66])
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Auwärter V, Dresen S, Weinmann W, Müller M, Pütz M, Ferreirós N. ‘Spice’ and other herbal blends: harmless incense or cannabinoid designer drugs? J Mass Spectrom. 2009;44:832–837. - PubMed
    1. Maxwell JC. Psychoactive substances—some new, some old: a scan of the situation in the US. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2014;134:71–77. - PubMed
    1. Kikura-Hanajiri R, Uchiyama N, Kawamura M, Goda Y. Changes in the prevalence of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinone derivatives in Japan until early 2012. Forensic Toxicol. 2013;31:44–53.
    1. Chung H, Choi H, Heo S, Kim E, Lee J. Synthetic cannabinoids abused in South Korea: drug identifications by the National Forensic Service from 2009 to June 2013. Forensic Toxicol. 2014;32:82–88.
    1. Seely KA, Patton AL, Moran CL, Womack ML, Prather PL, Fantegrossi WE, Radominska-Pandya A, Endres GW, Channell KB, Smith NH, McCain KR, James LP, Moran JH. Forensic investigation of K2, Spice, and “bath salt” commercial preparations: a 3-year study of new designer drug products containing synthetic cannabinoid, stimulant, and hallucinogenic compounds. Forensic Sci Int. 2013;233:416–422. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources