Alpine Foundation for Life Sciences (FASV), 6718, Olivone, Switzerland; University of Geneva, Rue du Général-Dufour 24, 1211, Genève 4, Switzerland.
Zurich Forensic Science Institute, Zeughausstrasse 11, 8004, Zürich, Switzerland.
Forensic Sci Int. 2021 Mar;320:110686. doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2021.110686. Epub 2021 Jan 13.
The paper describes the first three deaths reported in Europe involved in isotonitazene consumption, a potent benzimidazole derivate opioid consumed in the recreational drug scene. Isotonitazene powder and purity determination was performed on the sample collected in the first death scene by NMR, HRMS, GC-FTIR, ATR-FTIR and GC-MS. Isotonitazene purity was determined by GC-MS analysis and proton NMR, and was defined to be above 95 % and 98 %, respectively. Quantification of isotonitazene in biological samples was performed using a targeted analysis based on SPE extraction and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The isotonitazene median concentration in femoral whole blood was 1.20ng/mL. Isotonitazene concentration in hair was similar or even lower compared to that seen in fentanyl abusers. Isotonitazene distribution in tissues converges in the brain, lungs and heart, respectively. Surprisingly, isotonitazene concentration in liver is the lowest measured for all tissues and fluids analyzed. Based on circumstantial evidence, autopsy findings and the results of the toxicological analysis, the medical examiner concluded that the cause of all three deaths was an acute intoxication with isotonitazene. Since isotonitazene toxic concentration levels are very low, the consumption of this new psychoactive drug is a real hazard for human health.
本文描述了在欧洲报告的涉及异噁唑烷消费的前三例死亡，异噁唑烷是一种在娱乐性药物领域中使用的强效苯并咪唑衍生物类阿片类药物。在第一个死亡现场收集的样本中通过 NMR、高分辨质谱、GC-FTIR、ATR-FTIR 和 GC-MS 进行异噁唑烷粉末和纯度测定。通过 GC-MS 分析和质子 NMR 确定异噁唑烷的纯度，分别定义为超过 95%和 98%。使用基于 SPE 提取和超高效液相色谱串联质谱的靶向分析对生物样本中的异噁唑烷进行定量。股全血中异噁唑烷的中位数浓度为 1.20ng/mL。异噁唑烷在头发中的浓度与芬太尼滥用者相似，甚至更低。异噁唑烷在组织中的分布分别集中在大脑、肺和心脏。令人惊讶的是，肝脏中异噁唑烷的浓度是所有分析的组织和液体中最低的。根据间接证据、尸检结果和毒理学分析的结果，法医得出结论，所有三例死亡的原因均为异噁唑烷急性中毒。由于异噁唑烷的毒性浓度非常低，因此消费这种新的精神活性药物对人类健康构成真正的威胁。
