• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.1-10
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• 2019

Amphetamine-type stimulants (ATS) are a group of ${\beta}$-phenethylamine derivatives that produce central nervous system stimulants effects. The representative ATS are methamphetamine and 3, 4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), and abuse of ATS has become a global problem. Methamphetamine is abused in North America and Asia, while amphetamine and 3, 4-methyle nedioxym ethamphetamine (Ecstasy) are abused in Europe and Australia. Methamphetamine is also the most abused drug in Korea. In addition to the conventional ATS, new psychoactive substances (NPS) including phenethylamines and synthetic cathinones, which have similar effects and chemical structure to ATS, continue to spread to the global market since 2009, and more than 739 NPS have been identified. For the analysis of ATS, two tests that have different theoretical principles have to be conducted, and screening tests by immunoassay and confirmatory tests using GC/MS or LC/MS are the global standard methods. As most ATS have a chiral center, enantiomer separation is an important point in forensic analysis, and it can be conducted using chiral derivatization reagents or chiral columns. In order to respond to the growing drug crime, it is necessary to develop a fast and efficient analytical method.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.175-179
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• 1993

Gas chromoatography with flame ionization detector (FID) along with mass spectrometry (GC/MS) were used for the screening and quantification of methamphetamine (MA) and its major metabolite, amphetamine (AM0, in blood and urine in eleven fatal cases in which MA abuse was suspected. Postmortem blood MA varied from $0.5-30.2\;\mu{g/ml}$, while Am levels ranged from none detected (6 of 11 cases) to 4.8 .mu.g/ml. Additionally, distribution studies were performed in three of these cases in which tissue smaples were available for evaluation. Liver contained the highest ocncentration of MA among the tissu samples. In eight of the eleven cases, when no other direct cause of death was evident (i.e. 3 cases of traumatic dath0, either no blood AM was found or the ratio of MA/AM was 3.4 or greater. These data are consistent with acute MA use followed by death due to acute drug intoxication or by the occurrence of hypersensitivity and reverse seen in cases of chronic drug abuse.

• 약학회지
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• 제37권4호
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• pp.356-361
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• 1993

A sensitive method for the determination of methamphetamine(MA) and amphetamine(AM) in hair was developed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry using stable isotope-labeled internal standards, amphetamine-d$_{5}$ and methamphetamine-d$_{5}$. Hair sample was washed with MeOH, incubated with MeOH(I% HCI) overnight at $37^{\circ}C$ while stirring and extracted using solid phase extraction column on a vacuum manifold. The extract obtained was pentafluoropropionated, and applied to GC/MS. The calibration curves of MA and AM were linear from 2.5 to 250 ng (r>0.99 for both). The limit of detection was 0.1 ng/mg in hair and cut-off level was set at 0.25 ng/mg for both. Hair samples of 27 MA abusers showed positive results in the range 0.7 to 106.8 ng/mg. AM, its metabolite, was detected in 20 out of 27 samples. The ratio of MA versus AM was 4.6~38.3 in specimens. Hair analysis for methamphetamine by GC/MS is an effective method for identifying long-term drug abusers.

• 약학회지
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• 제47권5호
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• pp.266-270
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• 2003

We evaluated four commercially available methamphetamine immunoassays for their relative cross-reactivities of amphetamine analogues in human urine: Abbott TDx, Vitalab Selectra and on-site test kits (Accusign MET, SD bioline MET). High cross-reactivities were shown at designer's drugs such as methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA), methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and methylenedioxyethylamphetamine (MDEA) in all of the tested immunoassays. Methoxyphenamine, fenfluramine and phentermine were positive in TDx and Selectra, but were not positive in on-site test kits. Pseudoephedrine, norpseudoephedrine, ephedrine, norephedrine, MDMA, MDA, fenfluramine and phentermine were detected by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry(GC/MS) in false positive urines. Since the overall specificity of any of the devices was not 100％, we found it is important to confirm any positive screening test result, so we developed simultaneous determination of amphetamine analogues in urines. After alkalinization of the urine samples with 6-N NaOH, the analytes were extracted using ethyl acetate, derivatized with pentafluoropropyl anhydride (PFPA) prior at GC/MS analysis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.578-585
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• 2017

Recently, there has been a rise in the number of amphetamine derivatives that serve as substitutes for controlled substances (e.g. amphetamine and methamphetamine) on the global illegal drug market. These substances are capable of producing rewarding effects similar to their parent drug. In anticipation of the future rise of new and similar psychoactive substances, we designed and synthesized four novel amphetamine derivatives with N-benzyl, N-benzylamphetamine HCl (NBNA) substituent on the amine region, 1,4-dioxane ring, ethylenedioxy-amphetamine HCl (EDA), methyl, para-methylamphetamine HCl (PMEA), and naphthalene, 2-(aminopropyl) naphthalene HCl (2-APN) substituents on the phenyl site. Then, we evaluated their abuse potential in the conditioned place preference (CPP) test in mice and self-administration (SA) test in rats. We also investigated the psychostimulant properties of the novel drugs using the locomotor sensitization test in mice. Moreover, we performed qRT-PCR analyses to explore the effects of the novel drugs on the expression of D1 and D2 dopamine receptor genes in the striatum. NBNA, but not EDA, PMEA, and 2-APN, induced CPP and SA in rodents. None of the test drugs have produced locomotor sensitization. qRT-PCR analyses demonstrated that NBNA increased the expression of striatal D1 dopamine receptor genes. These data indicate that NBNA yields rewarding effects, suggesting potential for abuse. Continual observation for the rise of related substances is thus strongly encouraged.

• 약학회지
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• 제51권3호
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• pp.206-213
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• 2007

Recently estimating the uncertainty of an analytical result has become an essential part of quantitative analysis. This study describes the uncertainty of the measurement for the determination of methamphetamine and its major metabolite amphetamine in human hair, The method consists of washing, drying, weighing, incubation and extraction with methanolic HCI solution, clean-up, trifluoroacetyl derivatization, and qualification/quantification of residues by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Traceability of measurement was established through traceable standards and calibrated volumetric equipment and measuring instruments. Measurement uncertainty associated with each analyte in real samples was estimated using quality control (QC) data. The main source of combined standard uncertainty comprised two components, which are uncertainties associated with calibration linearity and variations in QC, while those associated with preparation of analytical standards and sample weighing were not so important considering the degree of contribution. Relative combined standard uncertainties associated with the described method ranged for individual analytes from 4.99 to5.03%.

• 대한약리학회지
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.13-23
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• 1974

Results of an experiment on the general behavior of rats in order to explore the possible pharmacological actions of Panax Ginseng upon the central nervous system can be summarized as follows: 1) The rats treated with Ginseng-saponin intraperitoneally with the doses of 50 or 100 mg/kg show the decreased sleeping component and increase in lying and grooming component and walking and rearing component of general behavior. 2) There are no difference between control group and saline treated group in pattern of general behavior components. 3) In the Ginseng-saponin treated groups, the amphetamine stimulated walking and rearing component of genenarl behavior are reduced but lying and grooming component are elevated. 4) Ginseng-saponin shows very low acute toxicity in mice. The $LD_{50}$ in mice of 24 hours after intraperitoneal injection was 795 mg/kg. From the above findings, it is to suggest that the Ginseng saponin might stimulate the central nervous system but its mode of action appears to be different from that of amphetamine. And the effects of Ginseng saponin may be varied depending on various experimental situation or condition of animals.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.9-20
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• 2011

Repeated administration of addictive drugs causes cellular and molecular changes believed to be the mechanism of pro-addictive behaviors. Neuroadaptations also take place with repeated administration of amphetamine, methylphenidate and atomoxetine, drugs for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD), and it is speculated that these changes may serve as markers to demonstrate the dependence liability of these therapies. In this review, we enumerate the neuroadaptive changes in molecules associated with neuronal signaling and plasticity, as well as neuronal morphology wrought by repeated administration of ADHD medications. We provide the current perspective on the dependence liability of these therapies, and also suggest of some factors that need to be considered in future investigations, so that what is drawn from animal studies would be better consolidated with those known clinically.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.104-109
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• 2014

Nonmedical use of prescription stimulants such as methylphenidate (MPH) and amphetamine (AP) by normal persons has been increased to improve cognitive functions. Due to high potential for their abuse, reliable analytical methods were required to detect these prescription stimulants in biological samples. A direct injection liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was developed and implemented for simultaneous determination of MPH, AP and their metabolites ritalinic acid (RA) and 4-hydroxyamphetamine (HAP) in human urine. Urine sample was centrifuged and the upper layer ($100{\mu}L$) was mixed with $800{\mu}L$ of distilled water and $100{\mu}L$ of internal standards ($0.2{\mu}g/mL$ in methanol). The mixture was then directly injected into the LC-MS/MS system. The mobile phase was composed of 0.2% formic acid in distilled water (A) and acetonitrile (B). Chromatographic separation was performed by using a Capcell Pak MG-II C18 ($150mm{\times}2.0mm$ i.d., $5{\mu}m$, Shiseido) column and all analytes were eluted within 5 min. Linear least-squares regression with a 1/x weighting factor was used to generate a calibration curve and the assay was linear from 20 to 1500 ng/mL (HAP), 40-3000 ng/mL (AP and RA) and 2-150 ng/mL (MPH). The intra- and inter-day precisions were within 16.4%. The intra- and inter-day accuracies ranged from -15.6% to 10.8%. The limits of detection for all the analytes were less than 4.7 ng/mL. The suitability of the method was examined by analyzing urine samples from drug abusers.

• 분석과학
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• 제32권5호
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• pp.163-172
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• 2019

Methamphetamine (MA) is currently the most abused illicit drug in Korea and its major metabolite is amphetamine (AP). As MA exist as two enantiomers with the different pharmacological properties, it is necessary to determine their respective amounts in a sample. Thus a chiral stationary phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for identification and quantification of d-MA, l-MA, d-AP, and l-AP in human urine. Urine sample ($200{\mu}L$) was diluted with pure water and purified using solid-phase extraction (SPE) cartridge. A $5-{\mu}L$ aliquot of SPE treated sample solution was injected into LC-MS/MS system. Chiral separation was carried out on the Astec Chirobiotic V2 column with an isocratic elution for each enantiomer. Identification and quantification of enantiomeric MA and AP was performed using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) detection mode. Linear regression with a $1/x^2$ as the weighting factor was applied to generate a calibration curve. The linear ranges were 25-1000 ng/mL for all compounds. The intra- and inter-day precisions were within 3.6 %, while the intra- and inter-day accuracies ranged from -5.4 % to 11.8 %. The limits of detection were 2.5 ng/mL (d-MA), 3.5 ng/mL (l-MA), 7.5 ng/mL (d-AP), and 7.5 ng/mL (l-AP). Method validation parameters such as selectivity, matrix effect, and stability were evaluated and met acceptance criteria. The applicability of the method was tested by the analysis of genuine forensic urine samples from drug abusers. d-MA is the most common compound found in urine and mainly used by abusers.