A New Multi-Analyte LC-MS-MS Screening Method for the Detection of 120 NPSs and 49 Drugs in Hair.

Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) has been increasingly used for screening purposes in forensic toxicology. High versatility and low time/resource consumption are the main advantages of this technology. Numerous multi-analyte methods have been validated in order to face the analytical challenge of new psychoactive substances (NPSs). However, forensic toxicologists must focus the attention also on "classical" NPSs and medicines, such as benzodiazepines (BDZs) and prescription opioids. In this paper, a new method for the simultaneous detection of 169 substances (120 NPSs and 49 other drugs) in hair by LC-MS-MS is described. After the decontamination of hair samples with dichloromethane, a 20-mg aliquot of the sample was mixed with 1 mL of methanol (MeOH; 0.1% of formic acid) and then sonicated at room temperature for 2 h. The mixture was then dried under nitrogen stream and reconstituted with 100 µL of MeOH. LC separation was achieved with a 100-mm-long C18 column in 35 min, and mass acquisition was performed in dynamic multiple reaction monitoring mode and in positive ionization. The analysis results were very sensitive, with the limit of quantification ranging from 0.07 to 10.0 pg/mg. Accuracy and precision were always within the acceptable criteria. Matrix effect and recovery rate ranges were from -21.3 to + 21.9% and from 75.0 to 99.3%, respectively. The new method was successfully applied in a preliminary study on the prevalence of NPSs, BDZs and other substances in case of driving license issuance. In 14% of cases, BDZs/antidepressants (mainly trazodone, diazepam/nordiazepam and flunitrazepam) were found. Codeine, ketamine, methylone and mephedrone were also detected.

Multiple deaths caused by a fire in a factory: identification and investigative issues.

The article presents a case of multiple casualties following a textile factory fire. The incident required a full DVI team similar to large mass-disaster because of the specific operational aspects and identification difficulties. The autopsy results were consistent with death by fire and the toxicological investigations revealed carbon monoxide poisoning in four cases (HbCO% ranging between 88,05 and 95,77), two deaths by cyanide intoxication (with concentrations between 5,17 and 8,85 mcg/ml), and in one case there was a synergistic effect of the two substances (carbon monoxide and cyanide). The identification, carried out in accordance with INTERPOL protocols, encountered serious difficulties in the AM phase primarily due to a language barrier and the lack of any dental or medical information relating to the victims. Secondary identifiers proved to be very useful in corroborating possible identities. As a result of the combined efforts of a team of experts the identity of each victim was determined and in all cases at least one primary identifier was used in the identification process. The deployment of DVI teams composed of forensic experts from different fields of expertise and well acquainted with DVI procedures, is essential in events involving multiple casualties that may also include foreign victims. The DVI team should intervene not only in PM examinations but also in the collection of AM data for those individuals not accounted for and by helping police in contacting families of missing people.

Prolonged bedtime treatment with H2-receptor antagonists (ranitidine and famotidine) does not affect blood alcohol levels after ethanol ingestion in male patients with duodenal ulcer.

OBJECTIVE: To verify whether a prolonged (therapeutic) treatment with ranitidine or famotidine may affect blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) in patients with duodenal ulcer (DU). METHODS: Sixteen male patients with DU were studied. Subjects with Helicobacter pylori-associated DU did not enter the study. Patients randomly received either 300 mg ranitidine (n = 8) or 40 mg famotidine (n = 8) at bedtime for 2 months. They had a standard lunch (1:00 PM), and 0.3 g/kg of alcohol was given 15 min after the meal. BAC were measured by head-space gas chromatography up to 150 min. RESULTS: The rate of GFPM was checked in all patients before they entered the study; we found it to be 53%, by comparing the area under the curve (AUC) of BAC after either intravenous or oral (po) administration of 0.3 g/kg ethanol. Ranitidine did not significantly modify either the mean AUCpo (5.8 +/- 1.8 vs. 6.2 +/- 1.4 mM/h, before vs. after treatment) or the peak BAC (4.6 +/- 1.1 vs. 5.3 +/- 1.7 mM) after 2 months of treatment. Famotidine failed to affect BAC in the second group of patients (AUCpo 5.0 +/- 1.4 vs. 5.6 +/- 1.7 mM/h, peak BAC 4.0 +/- 1.7 vs. 4.3 +/- 1.8 mM; before vs. after treatment). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that, in males with DU, prolonged treatment with ranitidine or famotidine had no effect on BAC after administration of a small dose of postprandial alcohol.

Comparison of lidocaine by fluorescence polarization immunoassay, enzyme immunoassay, and high resolution gas chromatography.

Lidocaine levels in plasma for therapeutic monitoring purposes were compared by using fluorescence polarization immunoassay (Abbott TDx), enzyme immunoassay (EMIT-Cad), and a high-resolution gas chromatography (HRGC). The two immunoassay methods on 29 clinical samples gave excellent correlation (r = 0.998 and 0.999 for TDx and EMIT, respectively), when compared to the HRGC method.

Benzoyltropeine, an unusual substance in street heroin samples.

Benzoyltropeine, an isomer of tropacocaine, was found in samples of heroin seized in Florence in 1981. Since there were no analytical data on benzoyltropeine, it was difficult to differentiate this substance from tropacocaine. In an effort to make the differentiation easier, the authors tried out various techniques and found thin-layer chromatography and high-resolution gas chromatography to be the most suitable for this purpose. A specific identification of isomers of these substances was obtained by using nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry techniques.

Analgesic interaction between nitrous oxide and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol in the rat.

The analgesic activities of a 75:25% nitrous oxide-oxygen mixture administered for 15 min, of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) 10 mg kg-1 i.p., and of a combination of both, were evaluated in the rat by tail-flick and hot-plate tests. The nitrous oxide-oxygen mixture produced a significant increase in the pain threshold. The analgesic activity of THC was similar in extent but of longer duration than that of nitrous oxide. The cannabinoid also induced some locomotor and behavioural modifications. When both THC and the nitrous oxide-oxygen mixture were administered, a significant potentiation of the analgesic response was produced, without modification of the locomotor and behavioural responses that were induced by THC alone. Such mixtures may prove of value in the control of chronic pain in man.

Heroin in the Florence area, Italy.

The authors report data on the analysis of heroin samples seized in the Florence area between 1975 and the first half of 1981. They consider that the Florentine situation, and the Italian market in general, is different from other non-Italian markets with respect to heroin content and to types of adulterant. No dangerous substances were found in the samples and strychnine, if present, was found in very low concentrations. The concluded that the cause of death in heroin addicts or users is due to the amount of heroin injected (overdose).

Anti-inflammatory agents: determination of ibuproxam and its metabolite humans. Correlation between bioavailability, tolerance and chemico-physical characteristics.

A study on absorption and elimination in the urine of 2-(4-isobutylphenyl)-propiohydroxamic acid (ibuproxam, Ibudros) (400 mg film tablets) after administration to healthy volunteers is reported. In the plasma, only a minimum concentration of ibuproxam as such could be found: instead its chief metabolite ibuprofen mainly present, with top peaks at 45 min. The maximum ibuprofen concentration in the plasma--when obtained through metabolization of ibuproxam--is significantly higher than after administration of an equal dose of ibuprofen. This phenomenon is related to the chemico-physical characteristics of the two compounds.

Observations on cannabinoid content in Cannabis sativa L. grown in Tuscany, Italy.

The paper summarizes the analytical results on 114 Cannabis sativa L. samples seized in Tuscany. The percentage of delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol content in adult plants and the phenotype ratio of young plants were determined to differentiate fibre-type from drug-type cannabis plants. The analysis revealed that 71.9 per cent of the total sample were cannabis plants of a drug type.