Chemistry/Biochemistry Department Seminar (Apr 5. 2013)

The topic of this week's seminar was:

“Mass Spectrometry-Based Approaches for Targeted and Broad Spectrum Detection and Identification of Synthetic Cannabinoids and other Designer Drugs of Abuse” by Dr. Brian F. Thomas

Dr. Brian F. Thomas is the principal investigator on two National Institute on Drug Abuse repository and purity specification contracts. His principal duties include overseeing the development of chromatographic assays (gas chromatography [GC], high-performance liquid chromatography [HPLC], GC/MS, HPLC/MS) and spectrophotometric assays for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of bulk chemicals or chemicals in dosage formulations, biological fluids, tissues, or other complex matrices. 

During the seminar, Dr. Thomas provided a brief description about the mission of RTI International cooperate that he works under. He explained that it is a research organization for many college graduate students and others in North Carolina that has the mission of improving the human condition by turning knowledge into practice through cutting-edge study and analysis in health and pharmaceuticals, education and training, surveys and statistics, and advanced technology.

Dr. Thomas commenced his speech by defining what Cannabinoid are which are group of substances that are structurally related to tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or that bind to cannabinoid receptors and occur naturally in the nervous and immune systems of animals. The derivatives of these chemicals are produced synthetically in labs around the world. After that, he progressed his presentation by presenting the agenda of his speech which was as follows:

• Cannabinoid Formulations
• Spice And Synthetic Cannabinoid 
• Analytical challenges
• RTI's Analytical Approaches
• Conclusion
• New Directions

The first Cannabinoid formulation is Marijuana which is seen as schedule I drug in the eyes of the government, and smoking it produces pyrdysis products. Some of the new Cannabinoid formulations are Satines (nabiximols)--restricted in UK and Spain. These Cannabinoids are regulated due to the fact that: (Mr. Nice Guy)

• They have some synthetic Cannabinoid.
• Herbal materials (unknown).
• Serval materials (unknown).

He further explained that the synthetic Cannabinoid can refer to herbal products marked as "spice", "K2", "Kush"  etc... that are widely advertised on the internet and used , and whose consumption resulted in tachycardia, vomiting, anxiety attacks etc.. . Statistics show that a huge increase in the cases of local forens laboratories  between the years 2009 (13 cases) to 2010 (2,977 cases). And according to the American Association of Poison Control Center, the number of cases reported to the poison center about exposure to synthetic marijuana have increased from 2,905 in 2010 to 6,959 in 2011. 

Dr. Thomas pursued this further by discussing the Cannabinoid pharmacology as follows: 

• Photocannabinoids - Produced from Cannabis Sativa
• Endocannabinoids - Produced naturally in mammalian species. 
• Synthetic Cannabinoids - Produced synthetically.

And he mentioned the toxicology of spice:

• Increases the blood pressure rate
• Raises blood pressure
• psychotropic effects similar to THC, but more intense.
• Little data on pyrolysis or pharmacekinotics in the open literature.

Some of the analytical challenges that he brought up were the fact that synthetic Cannabinoid and designed drugs have been a multibillion dollars business, as well as the ability of synthetic chemists to alter the known compounds to further evade detections and law enforcement agencies that should not be underestimated.  

Also, equally worrisome is the fact that currently there are no canines trained to detect bulk synthetic compounds chemistry formation.  

Consequently, he suggested that the RTI International Analytical Approaches were:

• STRATEGY 1: Direct analysis in real- time mass spectrometry--- like the direct ionization of materials at atmospheric pressure, no chromatographic separation, using high resolution-high mass equipments. (DART/TOF) This process allowed for the observation of the increase in the ionization energy--- it was the most successful.
• STRATEGY 2: Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography/Quadrupole Orthogonal Time-of-Flight.(SPME GC/MS)-- GC/MS afforded for the separation of most position isomers as well as molecules with the same nominal mass. 
• STRATEGY 3: Solid Phase Micro Extraction, Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (UPLC/qTOF with AMF/MDF)

As for the summery, prior to the DEA ban on five synthetic compounds prevalent in synthetic Cannabinoid, all products (> 20 different products) purchased in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill areas of North Carolina contained at least one synthetic Cannabinoid of the five banned compounds. 

The new directions for the future of cannabinoids in the United States, he revealed that:

• The DEA contracted with the RTI to assess abuse liability of XLR-11 and UR-144.
• Attempt to use the Controlled Substances Analogy Act in addition to specific scheduling action (for example the ban on JWH-018 and four other synthetic products).