Determination of phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole enantiomers (Levamisole/Dexamisole) in illicit cocaine seizures and in the urine of cocaine abusers via chiral capillary gas chromatography-flame-ionization detection: clinical and forensic perspectives
| Autor: | John F. Casale, Valerie L. Colley, D. F. LeGatt |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 2012 |
| Předmět: |
Chromatography
Gas Health Toxicology and Mutagenesis Tetramisole Urine Pharmacology Toxicology Analytical Chemistry law.invention Specimen Handling Cocaine-Related Disorders Forensic Toxicology Cocaine Dexamisole law Seizures medicine Environmental Chemistry Flame ionization detector Humans Flame Ionization Chemical Health and Safety Chromatography Chemistry Stereoisomerism Levamisole South America Capillary gas chromatography Enantiomer medicine.drug |
| Zdroj: | Journal of analytical toxicology. 36(2) |
| ISSN: | 1945-2403 |
| Popis: | Illicit cocaine laboratories in South America have been adding phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole enantiomers (levamisole and/or tetramisole) to refined illicit cocaine for over 8 years. A chiral capillary gas chromatographic methodology is presented for phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole enantiomer determination in illicit cocaine samples and in the urine of cocaine abusers. Illicit cocaine samples (N = 752) and urine specimens from cocaine abusers (N = 50) that contained phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole were analyzed for enantiomeric composition. Legitimate commercial preparations of phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole are either 100% levamisole or a 50:50 mixture of levamisole and dexamisole (tetramisole). Specimens that contain phenyltetrahydroimidazothiazole mixtures that are other than 50:50 preparations will be enhanced in one isomer over the other, and they are referred to as either "levamisole-enhanced" or "dexamisole-enhanced". Cocaine samples were found to contain levamisole (N = 495, 66%), tetramisole (N = 143, 19%), and levamisole-enhanced enrichment (N = 114, 15%); urine specimens contained levamisole (N = 23, 46%), levamisole-enhanced enrichment (N = 10, 20%), and dexamisole-enhanced enrichment (N = 13, 26%). The toxicological and forensic aspects of these findings are discussed. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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