Chemical Analysis Methods for the Detection of 4-methylmetcatinone (mefedrine), from a Pharmacological and Toxicological Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38017/1657463X.686Keywords:
Catinone, Mephedrine, 4-methylmetcatinone, Pharmacology, ToxicologyAbstract
In the past 25 years in Europe, new synthetic drugs have emerged from the khat plant (Catha edulis), called Catinones, which is a very powerful alkaloid analogous to amphetamines. Among the derivatives of cathinone is mephedrine (4-methylmetcatinone (4-MMC)), which has pharmacological effects equivalent to those reported by ecstasy, amphetamines, or cocaine. This article presents an exhaustive review of the literature regarding the main detection methods of 4-MMC known as mephedrone, in addition to presenting the physicochemical, pharmacological, toxicological properties, and the main harmful effects on health. Of particular concern and interest is that this ephedrine-derived medicine comes from a plant and is considered legal in some Western European countries. It has been widely used in recent years for recreational purposes in several countries in Europe, North America, and most South American countries due to its ease of purchase and as a new alternative to ecstasy and cocaine. The effects of 4-MMC are associated with stimulant effects, such as increased concentration, psychomotor stimulation, decreased appetite, and insomnia. Recent studies have described compulsive use of mephedrone as primarily a juvenile phenomenon, and severe addiction, sudden changes in body temperature and heart rate, hallucinations, psychosis, and death from overdose are among the most dangerous side effects.
Based on the above, a review of the literature focusing on the chemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and risk analysis for mephedrone is essential , to find strategies for rapid determination and mitigation of its adverse effects on addicts, as well as avoiding consumption.
Author Biographies
Diego Hernando Ángulo Florez, Fundación Universitaria Juan de Castellanos
Licenciado en Química con énfasis en análisis químico instrumental. Magíster en Docencia de la Química. Doctor en Química de la Universidad Federal de São João del-Rei, por el programa multicéntrico en química de Minas Gerais-Brasil, bolsista (becario) por la OEA del programa BRACOL del grupo COIMBRA para la cooperación de América Latina.
Edna Carolina Cipagauta Esquivel, Universidad de Boyacá
Química de alimentos, Magíster en Química Orgánica por el programa multicéntrico en química de Minas Gerais-Brasil, bolsista (becaria) de la Rede Mineira de Química-UFSJ, Universidad Federal de São João del-Rei. Docente universitaria que enfoca la educación y la enseñanza en la interdisciplinariedad en contexto, la integralidad con otras disciplinas y la resolución de problemas mediante los niveles de abertura.
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Fukushima, S., Shen, H., Hata, H., Ohara, A., Ohmi, K., Ikeda, K. & Uhl, G. 2007. Methamphetamine-induced locomotor activity and sensitization in dopamine transporter and vesicular monoamine transporter 2 double mutant mice. Psychopharmacology (193): 55–62.
Gibbons, S. & Zloh, M. 2010. An analysis of the ‘legal high’ mephedrone. Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters (20): 4135–4139.
Glickstein, S., & Schmauss, C. 2004. Effect of methamphetamine on cognition and repetitive motor behavior of mice deficient for dopamine D2 and D3 receptors. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences (1025): 110–118.
Glicksberg, L. & Kerrigan, S. 2017. Stability of Synthetic Cathinones in Blood. J. Anal. Toxicol. (41): 711–719.
Glicksberg, L. & Kerrigan, S. 2018. Stability of Synthetic Cathinones in Urine. J. Anal. Toxicol. (42): 77–87.
Gygi, M., Gibb, J., & Hanson, G. 1996. Methcathinone: an initial study of its effects on monoaminergic systems. Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (3): 1066–1072.
H. Torrance, 2010. The detection of mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone) in 4 fatalities in Scotland. Forensic Science International,. (10): 62-63.
Jankovics, P., Varadi, A., Tolgyesi, L., Lohner, S., Nemeth-Palotas, J., & Koszegi-Szalai, H. 2012. Identification and characterization of the new designer drug 40-methylethcathinone (4-MEC) and elaboration of a novel liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) screening method for seven different methcathinone analogs. Forensic Science International,(3): 213-220.
Jones, L., Reed, P., & Parrott, A. 2016. Mephedrone and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine: Comparative psychobiological effects as reported by recreational polydrug users. Journal of Psychopharmacology, 30 (12): 1313-1320.
Kapitány-Fövény, M., Kertész, M., Winstock, A., Deluca, P., & Corazza, O. 2013. Substitutional potential of mephedrone: an analysis of the subjective effects. Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental (28): 308–316.
Kavanagh, P., O’Brien, J., Power, J. D., & Talbot, B. 2013. ‘Smoking’ mephedrone: The identification of the pyrolysis products of 4-methylmethcathinone hydrochloride. Drug Testing and Analysis (5):291–305.
Kehr, J., Ichinose, F., Yoshitake, S., Goiny, M., Sievertsson, T. & Nyberg, F. 2011. Mephedrone, compared to MDMA (ecstasy) and amphetamine, rapidly increases both dopamine and serotonin levels in nucleus accumbens of awake rats. British Journal of Pharmacology, 164 (8): 1949-1958.
Kelly J. P. 2011. Cathinone derivatives: A review of their chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology. Drug Testing and Analysis (3): 439-435.
Levitas, M.P., Andrews, E., Lurie, I., Marginean, I., 2018. Discrimination of synthetic cathinones by GC-MS and GC-MS/MS using cold electron ionization. Forensic Sci. Int. (288): 107–114.
Linharta, I., Himla, M., Židková, M., Balíková, M., Lhotkovác, E., & Pálenícek, T. 2016. Metabolic profile of mephedrone: Identification of nor-mephedrone conjugates with dicarboxylic acids as a new type of xenobiotic phase II Metabolites. Toxicology Letters, (204): 54.62.
Lisek, R., Xu, W., Yuvasheva, E., Chiu, Y., Reitz, A., Liu-Chen, L. & Rawls, S. 2014. Mephedrone (‘bath salt’) elicits conditioned place preference and dopaminesensitive motor activation. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, (3): 257-262.
López-Rabuñala, Á., Lendoiro, E., Concheiro, M., López-Rivadulla, M., Cruz, A., & de-Castro-Ríos, A. (2019). A LC-MS/MS method for the determination of common synthetic cathinones in meconium. Journal of Chromatography B, (5): 349-355.
Martinez-Clemente, J., Escubedo E, Pubill. & Camarasa. 2012. nteraction of mephedrone with dopamine and serotonin targets in rats. European Neuropsychopharmacology 3 (22): 231-236.
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How to Cite
Ángulo Florez, D. H., & Cipagauta Esquivel, E. C. (2020). Chemical Analysis Methods for the Detection of 4-methylmetcatinone (mefedrine), from a Pharmacological and Toxicological Perspective. Cultura científica, 1(18), 95–120. https://doi.org/10.38017/1657463X.686
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2020-12-14
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