TY - JOUR

T1 - Metabolites of 5F-AKB-48, a synthetic cannabinoid receptor agonist, identified in human urine and liver microsomal preparations using liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry

AU - Holm, Niels Bjerre

AU - Pedersen, Anders Just

AU - Dalsgaard, Petur Weihe

AU - Linnet, Kristian

PY - 2015/3

Y1 - 2015/3

N2 - New types of synthetic cannabinoid designer drugs are constantly introduced to the illicit drug market to circumvent legislation. Recently, N-​(1-Adamant​yl)-​1-​(5-​fluoropentyl)-​1H-​indazole-​3-​carboxamide (5F-AKB-48), also known as 5F-APINACA, was identified as an adulterant in herbal products. This compound deviates from earlier JHW-type synthetic cannabinoids by having an indazole ring connected to an adamantyl group via a carboxamide linkage. Synthetic cannabinoids are completely metabolized, and identification of the metabolites is thus crucial when using urine as the sample matrix. Using an authentic urine sample and high-resolution accurate-mass Fourier transform Orbitrap mass spectrometry, we identified 16 phase-I metabolites of 5F-AKB-48. The modifications included mono-, di-, and trihydroxylation on the adamantyl ring alone or in combination with hydroxylation on the N-fluoropentylindazole moiety, dealkylation of the N-fluoropentyl side chain, and oxidative loss of fluorine as well as combinations thereof. The results were compared to human liver microsomal (HLM) incubations, which predominantly showed time-dependent formation of mono-, di-, and trihydroxylated metabolites having the hydroxyl groups on the adamantyl ring. The results presented here may be used to select metabolites specific of 5F-AKB-48 for use in clinical and forensic screening

AB - New types of synthetic cannabinoid designer drugs are constantly introduced to the illicit drug market to circumvent legislation. Recently, N-​(1-Adamant​yl)-​1-​(5-​fluoropentyl)-​1H-​indazole-​3-​carboxamide (5F-AKB-48), also known as 5F-APINACA, was identified as an adulterant in herbal products. This compound deviates from earlier JHW-type synthetic cannabinoids by having an indazole ring connected to an adamantyl group via a carboxamide linkage. Synthetic cannabinoids are completely metabolized, and identification of the metabolites is thus crucial when using urine as the sample matrix. Using an authentic urine sample and high-resolution accurate-mass Fourier transform Orbitrap mass spectrometry, we identified 16 phase-I metabolites of 5F-AKB-48. The modifications included mono-, di-, and trihydroxylation on the adamantyl ring alone or in combination with hydroxylation on the N-fluoropentylindazole moiety, dealkylation of the N-fluoropentyl side chain, and oxidative loss of fluorine as well as combinations thereof. The results were compared to human liver microsomal (HLM) incubations, which predominantly showed time-dependent formation of mono-, di-, and trihydroxylated metabolites having the hydroxyl groups on the adamantyl ring. The results presented here may be used to select metabolites specific of 5F-AKB-48 for use in clinical and forensic screening

U2 - 10.1002/dta.1663

DO - 10.1002/dta.1663

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24802286

VL - 7

SP - 199

EP - 206

JO - Drug Testing and Analysis

JF - Drug Testing and Analysis

SN - 1942-7603

IS - 3

ER -