Top

Published in:

01-01-2016 | Review Article

Trends of novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) and their fatal cases

Authors: Heesun Chung, Jaesin Lee, Eunmi Kim

Published in: Forensic Toxicology | Issue 1/2016

Abstract

The abuse of novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) has been increasing dramatically since the late 2000s worldwide. Furthermore, variations of synthetic cannabinoids and other NPSs have been appearing in the market recently. The number of newly identified NPSs in 2013 was 42 in Singapore, 37 in Korea, and 23 in Indonesia. Even though the kinds and amounts of NPSs are increasing sharply, toxicological information regarding NPSs is not available and hard to obtain. When compared to classical controlled drugs, there are only a few fatal cases and a limited number of data in terms of metabolism and toxicity of NPSs. However there have been fatal cases of NPSs reported continuously in the USA, Europe, Japan and other countries, but not in Korea. Therefore, in this study, the fatal concentrations of NPSs have been reviewed through papers to predict the unexpected side effects or toxicological effects of NPSs. The blood concentrations of synthetic cannabinoids, synthetic cathinones and others in fatal cases are presented. JWH-018, JWH-073, MAM-2201, NNEI, MDPV, mephedrone, methylone, α-PVP, PV9, 25I-NBOMe, PMMA and methoxetamine were substances targeted. The fatal NPS cases will be of great help for forensic toxicologists in the research of the metabolism and toxicity of NPSs, and will also aid in establishing analytical methods for detecting NPSs in biological fluids.

National Forensic Service (2014) Special report. The type of new psychoactive substances abused in Korea: case report and recent trend. National Forensic Service, Seoul, pp 6–7

Kim E (2014) Understanding of drug analysis in hair (in Korean). Design MIP, Seoul

Marinetti LJ, Antonides HM (2013) Analysis of synthetic cathinones commonly found in bath salts in human performance and postmortem toxicology: method development, drug distribution and interpretation of results. J Anal Toxicol 37:135–146PubMedCrossRef

Bronstein AC, Spyker DA, Cantilena LR, Rumack BH, Dart RC (2012) 2011 annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers’ national Poison Data System (NPDS): 29th Annual report. Clin Toxicol 50(10):911–1164. https://aapcc.s3.amazonaws.com/pdfs/annual_reports/2011_NPDS_Annual_Report_-_Final.pdf. Accessed 25 Feb 2015

ACMD (Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drug) (2015) ACMD’s report on ‘third generation’ synthetic cannabinoids. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/third-generation-synthetic-cannabinoids. Accessed 15 Jan 2015

Chung H (2013) New designer drugs seized in Korea; forensic identifications by NFS during 2009–2012. Annu Rep NFS 45:166–177

Yap A (2014) Traditional drugs and NPS abuse in Asia. 5th AFSN meeting, Oct 12–18, Seoul

EMCDDA (2014) European drug report 2014: trends and developments. http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/publications/edr/trends-developments/2014. Accessed 20 Jan 2015

Shanks KG, Dahn T, Terrell AR (2012) Detection of JWH-018 and JWH-073 by UPLC–MS-MS in postmortem whole blood casework. J Anal Toxicol 36:145–152PubMedCrossRef

10.

Saito T, Namera A, Miura N, Ohta S, Miyazaki S, Osawa M, Inokuchi S (2013) A fatal case of MAM-2201 poisoning. Forensic Toxicol 31:333–337CrossRef

11.

Sasaki C, Saito T, Shinozuka T, Irie W, Murakami C, Maeda K, Nakamaru N, Oishi M, Nakamura S, Kurihara K (2015) A case of death caused by abuse of a synthetic cannabinoid N-1-naphthalenyl-1-pentyl-1H-indole-3-carboxamide. Forensic Toxicol 33:165–169CrossRef

12.

Hasegawa K, Wurita A, Minakata K, Gonmori K, Nozawa H, Yamagishi I, Watanabe K, Suzuku O (2015) Postmortem distribution of AB-CHMINACA, 5-fluoro-AMB, and diphenidine in body fluids and solid tissues in a fatal poisoning case: usefulness of adipose tissue for detection of the drugs in unchanged forms. Forensic Toxicol 33:45–53CrossRef

13.

Wyman JF, Lavins ES, Engelhart D, Armstrong EJ, Snell KD, Boggs PD, Taylor SM, Norris RN, Miller FP (2013) Postmortem tissue distribution of MDPV following lethal intoxication by “bath salts”. J Anal Toxicol 37:182–185PubMedCrossRef

14.

Murray BL, Murphy CM, Beuhler MC (2012) Death following recreational use of designer drug “bath salts” containing 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV). J Med Toxicol 8:69–75PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

15.

Pasin D, Bidney S, Fu S (2015) Analysis of new designer drugs in post-mortem blood using high-resolution mass spectrometry. J Anal Toxicol 39:163–171PubMedCrossRef

16.

Wikstrom M, Thelander G, Nystrom I, Kronstrand R (2010) Two fatal intoxications with the new designer drug mephedrone (4-methoxymethcathinone). J Anal Toxicol 34:594–598PubMedCrossRef

17.

Adamowicz P, Tokarczyk B, Stanaszek R, Slopianka M (2013) Fatal mephedrone intoxication-a case report. J Anal Toxicol 37:37–42PubMedCrossRef

18.

Lusthof KJ, Oosting R, Maes A, Verschraagen M, Dijkhuizen A, Sprong AGA (2011) A case of extreme agitation and death after the use of mephedrone in The Netherlands. Forensic Sci Int 206:e93–e95PubMedCrossRef

19.

Cosby S, Peters KL, Quinn A, Bentley A (2013) Mephedrone (methylmethcathinone) in toxicology casework: a Northern Ireland perspective. J Anal Toxicol 37:74–82CrossRef

20.

Dickson AJ, Vorce SP, Levine B, Past MR (2010) Multiple-drug toxicity caused by the coadministration of 4-methylmethcathinone (mephedrone) and heroin. J Anal Toxicol 34:162–168PubMedCrossRef

21.

Gerace E, Petrarulo M, Bison F, Salomone A, Vincenti M (2014) Toxicological findings in a fatal multidrug intoxication involving mephedrone. Forensic Sci Int 243:68–73PubMedCrossRef

22.

Cawrse BM, Levine B, Jufer RA, Fowler DR, Vorce SP, Dickson AJ, Holler JM (2012) Distribution of methylone in four postmortem cases. J Anal Toxicol 36:434–439PubMedCrossRef

23.

Pearson JM, Hargraves TL, Hair LS, Massucci CJ, Frazee CC, Garg U, Pietak BR (2012) Three fatal intoxications due to methylone. J Anal Toxicol 36:444–451PubMedCrossRef

24.

Saito T, Namera A, Osawa M, Aoki H, Inokuchi S (2013) SPME–GC–MS analysis of α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone in blood in a fatal poisoning case. Forensic Toxicol 31:328–332CrossRef

25.

Hasegawa K, Suzuki O, Wurita A, Minakata K, Yamagishi I, Nozawa H, Gonmori K, Watanabe K (2014) Postmortem distribution of α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone and its metabolite in body fluids and solid tissues in a fatal poisoning case measured by LC–MS-MS with the standard addition method. Forensic Toxicol 32:225–234CrossRef

26.

Hasegawa K, Wurita A, Minakata K, Gonmori K, Nozawa H, Yamagishi I, Suzuki O, Watanabe K (2014) Identification and quantitation of a new cathinone designer drug PV9 in an “aroma liquid” product, antemortem whole blood and urine specimens, and a postmortem whole blood specimen in a fatal poisoning case. Forensic Toxicol 32:243–250CrossRef

27.

Hasegawa K, Wurita A, Minakata K, Gonmori K, Nozawa H, Yamagishi I, Watanabe K, Suzuki O (2015) Postmortem distribution of PV9, a new cathinone derivative, in human solid tissues in a fatal poisoning case. Forensic Toxicol 33:141–147CrossRef

28.

Namera A, Urabe S, Saito T, Torikoshi-Hatano A, Shiraishi H, Arima Y, Nagao M (2013) A fatal case of 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone poisoning: coexistence of α-pyrrolidinobutiophenone and α-pyrrolidinovelerophenone in blood and/or hair. Forensic Toxicol 31:338–343CrossRef

29.

Poklis JL, Devers KG, Arbefeville EF, Pearson JM, Houston E, Poklis A (2014) Postmortem detection of 25I-NBOMe [2-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-N-[(2-mehoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine] in fluids and tissues determined by high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry from a traumatic death. Forensic Sci Int 234:e14–e20PubMedPubMedCentralCrossRef

30.

Vevelstad M, Øiestad EL, Middelkoop G, Hasvold I, Lilleng P, Delaveris GJM, Eggen T, Mørland J, Arnesta M (2012) The PMMA epidermic in Norway: comparison of fatal and non-fatal intoxications. Forensic Sci Int 219:151–157PubMedCrossRef

31.

Wikstrom M, Thelander G, Dahlgren M, Kronstrand R (2013) An accidental fatal intoxication with methoxetamine. J Anal Toxicol 37:43–46PubMedCrossRef

Title: Trends of novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) and their fatal cases
Authors: Heesun Chung
Jaesin Lee
Eunmi Kim
Publication date: 01-01-2016
Publisher: Springer Japan
Published in: Forensic Toxicology / Issue 1/2016
Print ISSN: 1860-8965
Electronic ISSN: 1860-8973
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11419-015-0286-5

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Trends of novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) and their fatal cases

Abstract

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2016

Ethyl glucuronide in hair of non-excessive alcohol consumers: correlations and gender influence

Semiquantitation of diphenidine in tissue sections obtained from a human cadaver in a poisoning case by direct MALDI-QTOF mass spectrometry

α-PVP (“flakka”): a new synthetic cathinone invades the drug arena

Development of a UPLC–MS/MS method for determining γ-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and GHB glucuronide concentrations in hair and application to forensic cases

Vitreous humor analysis for the detection of xenobiotics in forensic toxicology: a review

Identification and characterization of a novel cathinone derivative 1-(2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-5-yl)-2-phenyl-2-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)-ethanone seized by customs in Jersey