scholarly journals Fentanyl analogs on the Swedish webforum flashback: Interest and impact of scheduling

2021 ◽  
Vol 87 ◽  
pp. 103013
Author(s):  
Kim Moeller ◽  
Bengt Svensson ◽  
Rasmus Munksgaard
Keyword(s):  
Fentanyl Analogs

scholarly journals Assessing the Relationships Between COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders and Opioid Overdoses in the State of Pennsylvania

2021 ◽  
pp. 002204262110063
Author(s):  
Brian King ◽  
Ruchi Patel ◽  
Andrea Rishworth
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
The United States ◽  
Opioid Use Disorder ◽  
Opioid Overdose ◽  
Policy Recommendations ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Fentanyl Analogs ◽  
Measure Change ◽  
Using Data ◽  
At Home

COVID-19 is compounding opioid use disorder throughout the United States. While recent commentaries provide useful policy recommendations, few studies examine the intersection of COVID-19 policy responses and patterns of opioid overdose. We examine opioid overdoses prior to and following the Pennsylvania stay-at-home order implemented on April 1, 2020. Using data from the Pennsylvania Overdose Information Network, we measure change in monthly incidents of opioid-related overdose pre- versus post-April 1, and the significance of change by gender, age, race, drug class, and naloxone doses administered. Findings demonstrate statistically significant increases in overdose incidents among both men and women, White and Black groups, and several age groups, most notably the 30–39 and 40–49 ranges, following April 1. Significant increases were observed for overdoses involving heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl analogs or other synthetic opioids, pharmaceutical opioids, and carfentanil. The study emphasizes the need for opioid use to be addressed alongside efforts to mitigate and manage COVID-19 infection.

Detection of 30 Fentanyl Analogs by Commercial Immunoassay Kits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebekah E Wharton ◽  
Jerry Casbohm ◽  
Ryan Hoffmaster ◽  
Bobby N Brewer ◽  
M G Finn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alkyl Chain ◽  
Cross Reactivity ◽  
Overdose Prevention ◽  
Drug Enforcement ◽  
Drug Enforcement Administration ◽  
Preliminary Information ◽  
Care Workers ◽  
Powder Samples ◽  
Fentanyl Analogs ◽  
Lateral Flow Assays

Abstract Health-care workers, laboratorians and overdose prevention centers rely on commercial immunoassays to detect the presence of fentanyl; however, the cross-reactivity of fentanyl analogs with these kits is largely unknown. To address this, we conducted a pilot study evaluating the detection of 30 fentanyl analogs and metabolites by 19 commercially available kits (9 lateral flow assays, 7 heterogeneous immunoassays and 3 homogenous immunoassays). The analogs selected for analysis were compiled from the Drug Enforcement Administration and National Forensic Laboratory Information System reports from 2015 to 2018. In general, the immunoassays tested were able to detect their intended fentanyl analog and some closely related analogs, but more structurally diverse analogs, including 4-methoxy-butyryl fentanyl and 3-methylfentanyl, were not well detected. Carfentanil was only detected by kits specifically designed for its recognition. In general, analogs with group additions to the piperidine, or bulky rings or long alkyl chain modifications in the N-aryl or alkyl amide regions, were poorly detected compared to other types of modifications. This preliminary information is useful for screening diagnostic, forensic and unknown powder samples for the presence of fentanyl analogs and guiding future testing improvements.

scholarly journals Accurate prediction of terahertz spectra of molecular crystals of fentanyl and its analogs

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Hung Wang ◽  
Anthony C. Terracciano ◽  
Artёm E. Masunov ◽  
Mengyu Xu ◽  
Subith S. Vasu
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Structure ◽  
Crystal Packing ◽  
Molecular Crystals ◽  
Normal Modes ◽  
Rapid Identification ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Dispersion Interactions ◽  
Pain Reliever ◽  
Fentanyl Analogs ◽  
High Bioavailability

AbstractFentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid pain reliever with a high bioavailability that can be used as prescription anesthetic. Rapid identification via non-contact methods of both known and emerging opioid substances in the fentanyl family help identify the substances and enable rapid medical attention. We apply PBEh-3c method to identify vibrational normal modes from 0.01 to 3 THz in solid fentanyl and its selected analogs. The molecular structure of each fentanyl analog and unique arrangement of H-bonds and dispersion interactions significantly change crystal packing and is subsequently reflected in the THz spectrum. Further, the study of THz spectra of a series of stereoisomers shows that small changes in molecular structure results in distinct crystal packing and significantly alters THz spectra as well. We discuss spectral features of synthetic opioids with higher potency than conventional fentanyl such as ohmefentanyl and sufentanil and discover the pattern of THz spectra of fentanyl analogs.

scholarly journals Detection of Fentanyl Analogs and Synthetic Opioids in Real Hair Samples

2018 ◽  
Vol 43 (4) ◽  
pp. 259-265 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Salomone ◽  
Joseph J Palamar ◽  
Rachele Bigiarini ◽  
Enrico Gerace ◽  
Daniele Di Corcia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Opioids ◽  
Hair Samples ◽  
Fentanyl Analogs

scholarly journals Identifying Fentanyl with Mass Spectral Libraries

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony J. Kearsley ◽  
Arun Moorthy
Keyword(s):  
Law Enforcement ◽  
Similarity Measures ◽  
Mass Spectral Library ◽  
Spectral Library ◽  
Mass Spectral ◽  
Fentanyl Analogs ◽  
Spectral Libraries ◽  
Mass Spectral Libraries

<div> <div> <div> <p>Synthesis, distribution and abuse of fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, has led to a critical worldwide epidemic. Mass spectral library searching for opioids remains unresolved despite being central to law-enforcement involving identification, monitoring and prosecution of opioid related crimes. In this article, two model problems are presented to illustrate difficulties associated with fentanyl identification. A collection of both currently-employed similarity measures and intuitive measures of dissimilarity are employed to simulate identifying fentanyl analogs with mass spectral library searching. </p> </div> </div> </div>

scholarly journals Molecular Networking: A Useful Tool for the Identification of New Psychoactive Substances in Seizures by LC–HRMS

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Flaminia Vincenti ◽  
Camilla Montesano ◽  
Francesca Di Ottavio ◽  
Adolfo Gregori ◽  
Dario Compagnone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Product ◽  
Illicit Drugs ◽  
Synthetic Cannabinoids ◽  
New Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Nmr Analysis ◽  
Psychoactive Substances ◽  
Molecular Networking ◽  
Fentanyl Analogs ◽  
Global Concern ◽  
Product Search

New Psychoactive Substances (NPS) are a global concern since they are spreading at an unprecedented rate. Despite their commerce still being limited compared to traditional illicit drugs, the identification of NPS in seizures may represent a challenge because of the variety of possible structures. In this study we report the successful application of molecular networking (MN) to identify unexpected fentanyl analogs in two seizures. The samples were extracted with 1 mL of methanol and analyzed with an untargeted data-dependent acquisition approach by LC–HRMS. The obtained data were examined using the MN workflow within the Global Natural Product Search (GNPS). A job was submitted to GNPS by including both seizures and standard mixtures containing synthetic cannabinoids and fentanyls raw files; spectra obtained from standards were used to establish representative networks for both molecular classes. All synthetic cannabinoids in the mixture were linked together resulting in a molecular network despite their different fragmentation spectra. Looking at fentanyls, all the molecules with the typical 188.143 and 105.070 fragments were combined in a representative network. By exploiting the standard networks two unexpected fentanyls were found in the analyzed seizures and were putatively annotated as para-fluorofuranylfentanyl and (iso)butyrylfentanyl. The identity of these two fentanyl analogs was confirmed by NMR analysis. Other m/z ratios in the seizures were compatible with fentanyl derivatives; however, they appeared to be minor constituents, probably impurities or synthetic byproducts. The latter might be of interest for investigations of common fingerprints among different seizures.

scholarly journals Fentanyl and fentanyl analogs in the illicit stimulant supply: Results from U.S. drug seizure data, 2011–2016

2021 ◽  
Vol 218 ◽  
pp. 108416
Author(s):  
Ju Nyeong Park ◽  
Emaan Rashidi ◽  
Kathryn Foti ◽  
Michael Zoorob ◽  
Susan Sherman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fentanyl Analogs ◽  
Drug Seizure

scholarly journals Emerging Synthetic Fentanyl Analogs

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harold E. Schueler
Keyword(s):  
Illicit Drug ◽  
Forensic Toxicology ◽  
Drug Market ◽  
Medical Examiner ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Blood Concentrations ◽  
Fentanyl Analogs ◽  
Femoral Blood ◽  
Drug Traffickers ◽  
Death Investigation

Hundreds of synthetic substances have been introduced into the illicit drug market over the last ten years, but none of these drugs has had as poisonous a consequence as the emergence of the synthetic fentanyl analogs. Initially, pharmaceutical grade or illicit fentanyl was mixed with heroin, allegedly to boost the potency of the heroin. Then, the amounts of fentanyl spiked gradually increased until the proportion of fentanyl was greater than the proportion of heroin. Ultimately, many overdose cases began consisting of only fentanyl. The emergence of numerous synthetic fentanyl analogs, including acetylfentanyl, butyrylfentanyl, acrylfentanyl, furanylfentanyl and β-hydroxythiofentanyl, which are manufactured in China, were made available to the illicit drug traffickers over the Internet. In July of 2016, the most potent commercially available opioid, carfentanil, started appearing in illicit drug submissions and medical examiner death investigation cases in Northeast Ohio. Postmortem femoral blood carfentanil concentrations are in the picogram per milliliter (pg/mL) range, which is extremely low, and tests the limits of detection for most analytical forensic toxicology laboratories. The interpretation of these low carfentanil blood concentrations in antemortem and postmortem specimens is made difficult due to the overlap in the concentrations between these specimen types. The presence of these powerful synthetic fentanyl analogs presents a challenge to forensic toxicology laboratories preparing to analyze for these substances.

scholarly journals Structure Elucidation of Urinary Metabolites of Fentanyl and Five Fentanyl Analogs using LC-QTOF-MS, Hepatocyte Incubations and Synthesized Reference Standards

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jakob Wallgren ◽  
Svante Vikingsson ◽  
Tobias Rautio ◽  
Enas Nasr ◽  
Anna Åstrand ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urinary Metabolites ◽  
Reference Standards ◽  
Urine Samples ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Hydroxylated Metabolites ◽  
Flight Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Fentanyl Analogs ◽  
Hydroxylated Metabolite

Abstract Fentanyl analogs constitute a particularly dangerous group of new psychoactive compounds responsible for many deaths around the world. Little is known about their metabolism, and studies utilizing liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS) analysis of hepatocyte incubations and/or authentic urine samples do not allow for determination of the exact metabolite structures, especially when it comes to hydroxylated metabolites. In this study, seven motifs (2-, 3-, 4- and β-OH as well as 3,4-diOH, 4-OH-3-OMe and 3-OH-4-OMe) of fentanyl and five fentanyl analogs, acetylfentanyl, acrylfentanyl, cyclopropylfentanyl, isobutyrylfentanyl and 4F-isobutyrylfentanyl were synthesized. The reference standards were analyzed by LC-QTOF-MS, which enabled identification of the major metabolites formed in hepatocyte incubations of the studied fentanyls. By comparison with our previous data sets, major urinary metabolites could tentatively be identified. For all analogs, β-OH, 4-OH and 4-OH-3-OMe were identified after hepatocyte incubation. β-OH was the major hydroxylated metabolite for all studied fentanyls, except for acetylfentanyl where 4-OH was more abundant. However, the ratio 4-OH/β-OH was higher in urine samples than in hepatocyte incubations for all studied fentanyls. Also, 3-OH-4-OMe was not detected in any hepatocyte samples, indicating a clear preference for the 4-OH-3-OMe, which was also found to be more abundant in urine compared to hepatocytes. The patterns appear to be consistent across all studied fentanyls and could serve as a starting point in the development of methods and synthesis of reference standards of novel fentanyl analogs where nothing is known about the metabolism.

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